Cubs top Braves as tensions flare

*Photo from Cubs Insider*

   Willson Contreras had 3 RBI, Jon Lester pitched 6 brilliant innings, and the Chicago Cubs topped the Atlanta Braves 8-3 last night. Jason Heyward added a homer for the Cubs, who are now a game ahead of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL central. Lester allowed 2 unearned runs and struck out 7 over 6 innings pitched. The Cubs broke the game open in the 5th inning on 5 straight hits. 

   In the second, Contreras got the scoring started with a solo homer to right to put the Cubs on the board. In the 4th, he made the score 2-0 on a single to center field that scored Javier Baez. In the 5th, Kyle Schwarber doubled to the ivy to score a run and make it 3-0. Kris Bryant came up next and singled home Lester to make it 4-0. After Bryant came Anthony Rizzo, who singled Schwarber home to make it 5-0. Baez came up next and doubled Bryant home, then Contreras scored Rizzo on a groundout to make it 7-0. The Braves picked up two in the 6th on a Nick Markakis two run single. They got their final run on a Dansby Swanson homer in the 8th, and the Cubs added one more in the bottom half on Heyward's homer. 

   Tempers flared in the second inning when Contreras hit his home run. I'm not entirely sure how it started, but once Contreras got home, Braves catcher Tyler Flowers had some words for Contreras, and Contreras got right in his face and thumped his chest at the Braves bench. After the game, Contreras and manager Joe Maddon downplayed the situation. Contreras said he was disputing a called strike with the umpire, and that Flowers got mad and jumped into the conversation. Contreras said that ''To be honest, those pitches weren't even close to the strike zone. He got mad because I was talking to the umpire about that, and he jumped into the conversation." The benches cleared as both teams were warned.

   Julio Teheran got the loss for the Braves, dropping to 5-6 on the season. Atlanta has lost for only the 6th time in 20 games. Newly signed Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel will continue to pitch with Triple A Iowa, and could be activated later this week. The Cubs will send Adbert Alzolay to the mound for game two, as he makes his first major league start. The Braves send Max Fried to the mound.