ATLANTA (AP) – Freddie Freeman hit a three-run homer and the Atlanta Braves woke up offensively after a grim doubleheader, overcoming a grand slam by Kris Bryant to beat the Chicago Cubs 8-7 Monday night.
The Braves were coming off two shutout losses to Arizona the previous afternoon – managing just a single hit over 14 innings. Madison Bumgarner held Atlanta without a hit in his seven-inning victory, though it did not qualify as an official no-hitter.
Eager to make up for that embarrassing performance, the Braves pounded Zach Davies for four runs and five hits in the very first inning. Travis d’Arnaud’s two-run single was the biggest blow.
The Cubs tied it on Bryant’s sixth career grand slam, a shot off Charlie Morton (2-1) that landed in the Chicago bullpen with two outs in the third.
But Freeman broke a 5-all tie with a mammoth, two-out shot of his own, driving one deep into the right-field seats against Brandon Workman (0-2).