Starting Lineups:

Chicago Cubs (27-15):

1) Nico Hoerner (R) 2B

2) Moisés Ballesteros (L) DH

3) Alex Bregman (R) 3B

4) Ian Happ (S) LF

5) Seiya Suzuki (R) RF

6) Michael Busch (L) 1B

7) Carson Kelly (R) C

8) Pete Crow-Armstrong (L) CF

9) Dansby Swanson (R) SS

Starting Pitcher: LHP Shota Imanaga (4-2, 2.19 ERA)

Atlanta Braves (29-13):

1) Mauricio Dubón (R) LF

2) Drake Baldwin (L) DH

3) Ozzie Albies (S) 2B

4) Matt Olson (L) 1B

5) Austin Riley (R) 3B

6) Michael Harris II (L) CF

7) Ha-Seong Kim (R) SS

8) Sandy León (S) C

9) José Azocar (R) RF

Starting Pitcher: RHP JR Ritchie (1-0, 3.20 ERA)

Truist Park, Atlanta, GA — In game two of the series between the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves, the Braves cruised past the Cubs 4-1 thanks to late-inning offensive production.

The Braves opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth with a deep fly — Drake Baldwin led off by hitting a solo shot to deep center to put the Braves ahead 1-0. Baldwin hit his 11th homer of the season against Cubs’ starter Shota Imanaga.

The Cubs would tie the game in the top of the fifth inning.

Carson Kelly knocked a base hit to right field to lead off, and Dansby Swanson would follow Kelly by working a one-out walk. Nico Hoerner would plate Kelly with an RBI single to left field to tie the game at 1 apiece.

The Braves would break the tie in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Michael Harris II would hit an infield single on a grounder to Hoerner in the bottom of the eighth. Ha-Seong Kim would follow Harris II with a single to left field to put two on, with no one out. Two batters later, pinch-hitter Mike Yastrzemski would plate a run with an RBI double to put the Braves up 2-1.

Mauricio Dubon would tack on to the lead with a two-run blast into left field to put Atlanta up 4-1.

Imanaga would pitch a quality start, tossing seven innings, while surrendering two runs and striking out six. He was sharp, pitching his sixth quality start in seven starts, and the defense behind him flashed some leather.

Shota Imanaga – photo courtesy of CHGO Sports

The Good: Both teams’ pitching — Shota Imanaga continued his dominance this season, tossing seven innings of two-run ball, while the Braves dipped into their bullpen early in the fifth, but held the Cubs to just one run.

The Bad/The Ugly: Phil Maton out of the bullpen had an off night — he gave up 3 runs, two of which were charged to him, allowing the runner he inherited from Imanaga to score. He couldn’t keep the ball in the yard, surrendering a two-run homer to Mauricio Dubon, which, ultimately, put the game out of reach for the Cubs.

-Matt Koper

Founder of Koper’s Korner