Cubs 6, Braves 1
CHICAGO -- Anthony Rizzo's bases-loaded single drove in Dexter Fowler with a go-ahead run and Matt Szczur added a grand slam as the Chicago Cubs scored five eighth-nning runs in a 6-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Friday.
Rizzo's base hit to center off Braves reliever Eric O'Flaherty brought home Fowler to snap a 1-1 tie.
Szczur's grand slam -- the first of his career -- came off Braves reliever Chris Withrow and drove in Jason Heyward, Ben Zobrist and Rizzo as the Cubs (17-5) collected their fourth straight victory and sixth in seven games.
The Braves (5-18) lost for the ninth time in 10 games.
Pedro Strop (1-0) worked one inning of relief for the victory, while Jim Johnson (0-3) suffered the loss after pitching one-third of an inning to open the eighth.
Cubs starter Jon Lester (2-1) gave up a solo home run and little else but didn't get a decision after leaving after seven innings with the scored tied at 1-1. Lester struck out 10 and walked just one while allowing one run on seven hits.
Braves right-hander Aaron Blair (0-1) also had no decision after being pulled for a pinch hitter in the seventh. He worked six innings and allowed one run on two hits while striking out three and walking three.
The Cubs had runners at second and third with two outs in the first but both were stranded when Blair got Jorge Soler on an inning-ending strikeout.
Freddie Freeman gave the Braves a 1-0 lead with his fourth-inning leadoff home run to right. His third homer of the season landed halfway up the seats in the bleachers.
Blair, meanwhile, held the Cubs hitless until the fifth when Javier Baez bounced a lead-off double down the third-base line.
Baez scored when David Ross lined a single to left and outfielder Jeff Francoeur failed to pick up the ball, allowing Baez to easily cross home plate for the equalizing run.
The Braves had the bases loaded with none out in the seventh. Lester walked Tyler Flowers in that inning, and Erick Aybar put down a bunt that Lester picked up but failed to throw to any base.
But Lester worked out of the jam. He got Drew Stubb on a swinging strike three and pinch hitter Jace Peterson struck out looking. Nick Markakis took Lester to a full count before grounding to first.
Braves reliever Alexi Ogando walked Rizzo and gave up a single to Soler to open the seventh. Both runners advanced when Baez bounced a grounder to second, and Addison Russell reached on an intentional walk.
But the threat was extinguished as Ross hit into an inning-ending double play.
NOTES: Friday's game in Chicago was the Braves' third in an eight-game, three series road trip that started with a split in Boston and ends with three games at the Mets. ... Atlanta entered Friday already holding a franchise record for loses in April (17) dating back to 1900. The Braves opened the season with nine straight defeats and dropped eight in a row between April 20-27. ... Friday was a homecoming for Braves catching tandem of Tyler Flowers and A.J. Pierzynski. Both formerly played for the Chicago White Sox. ... Cubs 3B Kris Bryant sat out Friday's game after suffering a mild right ankle sprain during Thursday's 7-2 victory over the Brewers. ... The Cubs had outscored opponents by 74 runs (130-56) coming into the Braves series. It is the largest differential on the big leagues, far ahead of second-place St. Louis. ... Cubs RHP Jake Arrieta's Thursday victory gave him a 21-1 record with a 0.89 ERA since June 21, 2105. ... The Braves send RHP Julio Teheran (0-3, 4.60 ERA) against Cubs RHP John Lackey (3-1, 4.97 ERA) in Saturday's middle game.