CHICAGO (AP) — Dansby Swanson homered against his former team in a five-run first inning and the Chicago Cubs’ bullpen staved off the major league-leading Atlanta Braves in a rain-soaked 8-6 win on Saturday.
Jeimer Candelario hit his first home run since being reacquired by the Cubs, and Ian Happ also went deep.
Chicago (57-54) went into the game leading the majors in runs since the All-Star break and bounced back after getting shut out 8-0 by Atlanta on Friday. The Cubs began the day 2 1/2 games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee and two games out of a wild-card spot.
Chicago opened a 5-0 lead early and never looked back. After an error by first baseman Matt Olson allowed two runs to score, Swanson hit his 17th home run off All-Star Bryce Elder (8-3) to make it 4-0. Swanson went 0 for 3 on Friday, his first game against Atlanta since signing with the Cubs in the offseason.
Atlanta (70-38) scored twice in the sixth after reliever Daniel Palencia walked three straight batters to load the bases before Mark Leiter Jr. struck out Austin Riley to preserve the Cubs’ 7-4 lead. Olson narrowed the gap with a two-run homer off Adbert Alzolay in the ninth before Travis d’Arnaud grounded out to end the game.
Candelario hit a solo homer in the first and went 2 for 4 with two runs. It was his 17th homer of the year and first with the Cubs this season after he was reacquired from Washington before the trade deadline.
Marcell Ozuna was ejected in the top of the fourth after striking out looking against Cubs starter Javier Assad.
Orlando Arcia hit a sacrifice fly in the second and Ozzie Albies launched his 25th home run in the third for the Braves. Ronald Acuña Jr. went 3 for 5 with an RBI.
Nick Madrigal and Christopher Morel each had an RBI single for the Cubs. Happ hit his 13th homer in the seventh. Cody Bellinger went 2 for 3 with an RBI and scored twice.
Michael Fulmer (3-5) replaced Assad in the fourth and worked 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Elder went 4 1/3 innings and permitted seven runs (five earned) on seven hits.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: LHP Dylan Lee (shoulder inflammation) was scheduled to throw one inning in a rehab outing Saturday night at Triple-A Gwinnett.
Cubs: RHP Marcus Stroman (hip inflammation) was scheduled to play catch.
UP NEXT
RHP Charlie Morton (10-9, 3.62 ERA) starts Sunday for Atlanta. All-Star LHP Justin Steele (12-3, 2.65) looks to win his fourth game in a row for the Cubs.
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