Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies and Drake Baldwin each hit two-run homers to lift the visiting Atlanta Braves to a 6-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday.
Martin Perez (9-9) allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits across six innings, walking four and striking out a pair to earn the 100th victory of his major league career. Raisel Iglesias worked a perfect ninth to close out his 33rd save of the season.
Paired with the Philadelphia Phillies’ loss to the Washington Nationals, the Braves (89-63) lowered their magic number to clinch the National League East to five.
Kevin Gausman threw 5 2/3 innings of two-run, five-hit ball while striking out six and walking none for the Cubs (84-68), who had won three of their last four. With Chicago’s loss, the Milwaukee Brewers clinched the NL Central.
Chicago struck first in the second. Michael Busch singled and Matt Shaw walked before Pedro Ramirez’s base hit gave the Cubs a 1-0 edge.
In the fourth, Busch walked and Shaw reached on an infield single. Ramirez then grounded to shortstop, where Mauricio Dubon’s throwing error allowed Chicago’s second run to score. Miguel Amaya followed with a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to three.
Atlanta cut into its deficit in the top of the sixth. Baldwin laced a one-out single before scoring on Acuna’s 18th homer of the season. After allowing Matt Olson’s single and retiring Michael Harris II, Gausman was relieved by Daniel Palencia, who got Dubon to pop out and end the inning.
Jacob Webb (6-5) threw the seventh for Chicago and allowed Austin Riley’s leadoff walk before Albies connected on his 22nd home run of the year to give the Braves their first lead.
Didier Fuentes struck out two in two perfect innings in relief for the Braves.
Against Edward Cabrera, Albies singled and stole second in the ninth. Two batters later, Baldwin launched a two-run shot into the right field basket, extending the lead to 6-3.
