Atlanta Braves' Jose Bautista celebrates with teammates in the dugout after hitting a three-run home run off Chicago Cubs' Jose Quintana during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Monday, May 14, 2018, in Chicago. Braves' Nick Markakis and Tyler Flowers scored on the play. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)CHICAGO (AP) - Ozzie Albies hit a leadoff drive for his 13th homer, Jose Bautista connected for a three-run shot and the Atlanta Braves held off the Chicago Cubs for a 6-5 victory on Monday.
Julio Teheran (4-1) pitched six innings and Tyler Flowers hit his first homer this season as NL-leading Atlanta (25-15) won for the sixth time in seven games. The surprising Braves moved 10 games over .500 for the first time since July 28, 2014.
A.J. Minter worked a shaky ninth inning for his second save in the makeup of an April 15 rainout. Minter hit Ian Happ to force in a run with two out, but Kris Bryant lined out to left to end the game.
Chicago closed out a 5-2 homestand with its second straight loss. Bryant and Albert Almora Jr. each hit a two-run homer, but Jose Quintana (4-3) struggled after pitching six sparkling innings against Miami in his previous start.
The 21-year-old Albies drove Quintana's second pitch the opposite way into the bleachers in right for his fourth career leadoff homer. The rookie second baseman also doubled and singled.
Almora went deep in the second and Bryant connected in the third, but the Cubs were unable to keep up with the slugging Braves.
Flowers, Quintana's former batterymate with the Chicago White Sox, hit a two-run shot in the top of the third, a towering drive over the wall in left-center. Bautista lifted Atlanta to a 6-4 lead in the fifth, belting a drive to left for his second homer since joining the club on May 4.
Teheran allowed four runs and four hits, struck out one and walked three. The 27-year-old right-hander had a scoreless streak of 16 2/3 innings before Almora's second homer of the season.
Sam Freeman replaced Teheran and got one out before departing with runners on first and second. Shane Carle then came in and retired each of his five batters while extending his scoreless streak to 13 innings.
Quintana was tagged for six runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings against a Braves team that has been feasting on left-handed pitching. Atlanta is 8-3 against lefty starters.
WORTH NOTING
Players and coaches on both teams wore No. 42 jerseys after they were unable to play on Jackie Robinson Day last month. Both teams were traveling to Atlanta after the game to begin a three-game set Tuesday night.
It's the first time the Cubs will play an opponent on consecutive days in different cities since April 16-17, 1990.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: Jason Heyward (concussion) will travel with the team to Atlanta, but manager Joe Maddon said his return date is still unknown. He became eligible to come off the seven-day concussion list Monday. . RHP Yu Darvish (virus) remains on track to come off the disabled list and pitch Tuesday against the Braves.
UP NEXT
Cubs right-hander Yu Darvish (0-3, 6.00 ERA) will oppose Braves right-hander Mike Foltynewicz (3-2, 3.21 ERA) on Tuesday night. Darvish has been sidelined by a virus. Foltynewicz limited the opposition to two earned runs or less in seven of his eight starts.