Left-hander Max Fried continued his mastery of the Chicago Cubs by throwing a complete game to lead the visiting Atlanta Braves to a 9-2 win on Wednesday.
Fried, who pitched seven no-hit innings against the Mets on May 11, retired the first 15 Chicago batters before Ian Happ doubled to start the sixth. Fried (4-2) allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits, no walks and nine strikeouts, and posted his second complete game of the season.
Fried improved his career record against Chicago to 6-0 with a 1.42 ERA in six starts.
Chicago’s Justin Steele (0-2) pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed five runs on six hits and one walk. He had five strikeouts.
The teams have split the first two games of the three-game series.
The Braves took the lead in the third inning. Michael Harris II got the first hit of the game and scored when Adam Duvall hit a two-run homer into the center field stands. It was Duvall’s third homer and traveled 423 feet. It was the sixth homer allowed by Steele in five starts.
The Cubs cut the lead to 2-1 in the sixth when Happ doubled, took third on a one-out wild pitch that sailed far over the head of catcher Travis d’Arnaud, and scored on Miguel Amaya’s high chopper to third base.
The Braves scored six times in the seventh to take an 8-1 lead. The rally began when Orlando Arcia doubled, advanced to third on an infield grounder, and scored on Zack Short’s safety squeeze.
The Braves then loaded the bases and scored on Ozzie Albies’ sacrifice fly and back-to-back homers from Marcell Ozuna and Matt Olson for the second time in three days.
Ozuna’s homer, his National League-leading 15th, was a three-run shot and extended his hitting streak to 15 games. The three RBIs gave him 46 and moved him into a tie with Philadelphia’s Alec Bohm for the most in the NL. Olson’s solo homer was his seventh.
Chicago reliever Porter Hodge made his major league debut in the eighth inning and struck out the side.
–Field Level Media
