Charlie Morton (4-3) had one of his best performances on the mound this season, throwing 7 innings (94 pitches) with nine strikeouts while only giving up three hits and no earned runs. But it wasn’t enough as the Chicago Cubs, in the midst of a 10-game losing streak, edged out the Braves 1-0 on Friday and put an end to Atlanta’s 14-game win streak.
92.9 The Game Braves insider Joe Patrick joined Dukes & Bell to give his analysis following the loss on Friday.
“It was one of those weird games where the Braves didn’t chalk up the runs, unfortunately,” Patrick said. “If you want to win 15 straight, you’ve got to get some breaks in these types of games. The Braves have already got some breaks winning these kinds of games.”
It was the first time in MLB a team with a double-digit losing streak knocked off a team with a double-digit winning streak since 1999. The 14 consecutive wins were the most by the Braves since they racked up 15 wins in a row from April 16 to May 2, 2000. Cubs SP Keegan Thompson (6-2) turned in arguably the best game of his MLB career, surrendering only two hits over 6 innings to go along with nine strikeouts.
Braves reliever AJ Minter took over for Morton in the eighth and walked pinch-hitter Jonathan Villar to lead off the inning. Villar advanced to second on former Brave Andrelton Simmons’ sacrifice and managed to steal third when a 2-1 Minter pitch to Cubs CF Christoper Morel went in the dirt, Morel would eventually launch a fly ball into center that brought Villar in to score.
The Braves managed to load the bases in the ninth after two walks and a hit batter but Braves 2B Orlando Arcia, filling in for the injured Ozzie Albies (broken foot), grounded out to end the game and the Braves streak.
The Braves look to rebound in the second game of the series on Saturday as Kyle Wright (7-3, 2.57 ERA) takes the mound against Justin Steele (1-5, 4.33 ERA). First pitch scheduled for 2:20pm from Wrigley Field.
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