CHICAGO – A long, odd night turned into a frustrating early morning for a Chicago Cubs team that appears to have lost its swagger.
Nick Markakis homered twice, including a tying solo shot in the ninth inning, and Tyler Flowers’ two-out single in the 11th early Friday morning gave the Atlanta Braves a 4-3 victory.
“A tough game,” catcher Willson Contreras said in a nearly silent clubhouse after Chicago’s 13th loss in 18 games.
Contreras’ two-run triple in a three-run eighth inning put the Cubs up 3-2. But closer Hector Rondon blew his fourth save when he gave up the second homer to Markakis to lead off the ninth, Atlanta’s first hit since the second inning.
Flowers then singled to right off Spencer Patton (1-1), and Freddie Freeman, who walked, barely beat Ben Zobrist’s throw home.