Braves Beat Cubs 4-1 as Elder Shines on the Mound

ATLANTA (AP) — Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson hit home runs, leading the Atlanta Braves to a 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Monday night. With the win, the Braves halted a two-game losing streak, while the Cubs, who are leading the National League wild-card race, suffered their fourth loss in the last five games.

Olson went 2 for 4 with his 23rd home run of the season, which came in the eighth inning. Bryce Elder (7-9) delivered an impressive performance on the mound, pitching 6 1/3 innings and allowing just one run on five hits. He struck out six batters and walked one, maintaining his stellar form by allowing only four earned runs over his last four starts spanning 26 1/3 innings.

Reliever Tyler Kinley registered a perfect eighth inning, extending his streak of scoreless appearances to 13, while Raisel Iglesias closed the game with a scoreless ninth, earning his 25th save. Cubs starter Shota Imanaga (9-7) conceded three runs in the first inning but recovered to retire 16 of the next 17 batters he faced before being pulled after six innings.

The Braves wasted no time in taking the lead, with Albies hitting a solo home run to start the game. Ha-Seong Kim followed with a single and later scored on Drake Baldwin’s double, while Ronald Acuña Jr. drove in Baldwin with a single to give Atlanta a 3-0 advantage early.

The Cubs managed to score in the seventh with a sacrifice fly by Matt Shaw, bringing in Nico Hoerner. Although the Cubs threatened with runners at second and third and only one out in the seventh, Elder was able to retire Shaw and Reese McGuire to keep the score at 3-1.

In a rematch, Cubs right-hander Cade Horton (9-4, 2.78) will face Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (5-12, 4.97) on Tuesday as the teams continue their three-game series.