Braves can’t solve Kyle Hendricks

The Braves started out the game by going quietly in the top of the first but the Cubs were locked in from the start and pummeled Sean Newcomb in the first inning. Jon Jay led off with a single and Kris Bryant brought him to third on a ground rule double for Anthony Rizzo who grounded out to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Shortly after Javier Baez hit a single to right field to score Bryant making it 2-0 and then something clicked for the Braves young lefty.

Sean Newcomb struck out the last batter in the first inning, struck out the side in the second inning, and struck out the side in the third inning. Newcomb also walked in a run in the third bringing the score to 3-0.

The Braves finally decided to get on the scoreboard against Kyle Hendricks in the top of the fifth inning after a fielding error allowed Swanson to reach and then after a Newcomb sacrifice bunt, Ender Inciarte grounded out to get Dansby to third base. Ozzie Albies then came up and hit a hard ground ball single up the middle to bring the score to 3-1.

Sean Newcomb pitched 5 good innings for the Braves before giving way to Jason Motte in the sixth. Motte walked Ben Zobrist and then put the Braves in an even bigger hole after giving up a 2-run home run to Kris Bryant to put the Braves down 5-1.

Bench revelation Lane Adams attempted to start a comeback in the top of the seventh against Hendricks when he came in and absolutely destroyed a home run to left field making the score 5-2 and the Braves would not come closer. In the bottom of the eighth Jon Jay tripled and was brought home on a Ben Zobrist single to stretch the lead even further to 6-2.

The Braves would go quietly in the ninth and lose yet another game to the Cubs in 2017 as it seems the Cubs are heating up at just the right time. The Braves will try to break through in tomorrows game when they send Mike Foltynewicz to the mound to face off against John Lackey.