Braves vs Cubs final score: 7 runs isn't enough as Atlanta falls to Chicago

Nick Swisher had a big day at the plate, but the Atlanta Braves saw another lead slip away in a 9-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

Swisher homered twice, once from each side of the plate and finished with four RBIs in the game. It was the 14th time in his career that Swisher had homered from both sides of the plate in the same guying tying him with Mark Teixeira for the most all-time. Swisher's second homer was part of a five-run fifth inning that put Atlanta in front 7-3.

However, no lead is safe at Wrigley Field when the wind is blowing out and not many leads have been safe for the Braves this season. Chicago struck right back in the fifth scoring three times on a pair of doubles by Kris Bryant and Miguel Montero to chase starter Williams Perez from the game. Perez struggled again with his command and allowed eight hits and six earned runs in just 4 2/3 innings.

Chicago tied the game in the sixth when Addison Russell jumped on a first pitch fastball from Matt Marksberry that found its way into the basket in centerfield. The Braves challenged the play saying that a fan reached over and interfered with the play, but the call was eventually upheld tying the game.

The score would remain 7-7 until the eighth when former Cubs pitcher Edwin Jackson allowed back-to-back homers to Montero and Jorge Soler to make the score 9-7. Hector Rondon shut the door in the ninth to give the Braves their sixth straight loss on the current road trip.

Jackson takes the loss and falls to 2-2 on the season. Pedro Strop picked up the win with a scoreless inning of relief. Rondon his 23rd save of the season with a scoreless ninth.

A.J. Pierzynski had another good day at the plate with three hits and a pair of RBIs. Andrelton Simmons also finished with two hits including a double. Dexter Fowler had three hits for the Cubs and scored a pair of runs.

The Braves will try to avoid the sweep on Sunday when Matt Wisler squares off against Chicago's Jason Hammel.