Atlanta completes sweep of struggling Chicago Cubs
Max Fried credits time spent in the bullpen with helping his mentality as he becomes more confident in his talent and more aggressive with his approach.
Now the Braves' young left-hander doesn't want to go back to a relief role.
Fried took a perfect game into the sixth inning, Nick Markakis drove in 5 runs with 5 hits and Atlanta defeated Yu Darvish (0-1) and the Cubs 9-4 on Thursday night to complete a three-game sweep.
Fried said he has learned to "just trust my stuff." He mixed his fastball clocked at 97 mph with a curve and slider and threw them all for consistent strikes.
The Braves led 9-0 before the Cubs scored 4 runs in the ninth. Anthony Rizzo hit a 2-run homer and Javier Baez followed with another homer off Chad Sobotka. The Cubs have lost five straight and are 1-5 for the first time since 2012, when they lost 101 games.
"It (stinks), but that's the beauty of this game," Rizzo said. "We get to come in tomorrow and write our own script."
Three Cubs relievers gave up 6 runs in 4 innings. "We've just got to get our bullpen in order," manager Joe Maddon said.
It was a troubling series for the Cubs, who committed 6 errors in an 8-0 loss Monday night and walked five batters in the eighth inning of a 6-4 loss Wednesday night.
Darvish gave up 3 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks, 1 intentional, in 4-plus innings. He set a career high with 7 walks in his first start at Texas on Saturday.
Right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. walked two batters and threw a wild pitch that allowed Inciarte to score from third. Tyler Chatwood allowed the 3-run double to Markakis and a run-scoring single to Dansby Swanson.
Braves left-hander A.J. Minter, making his 2019 debut after coming off the injured list, walked two batters before recording the final two outs in the ninth.
Light rain began in the second inning and continued most of the game.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: C Willson Contreras remained in the game after apparently having his left thumb jammed while tagging out Ozzie Albies in the fourth. Contreras blocked the plate, and Albies made a headfirst slide into the catcher's glove.
Braves: Minter had been out with left shoulder inflammation. ... Foltynewicz (right elbow bone spur) did not allow a hit or a run in five innings of his first of two planned rehab starts with Triple-A Gwinnett.
GET WELL, SKIPPER
The Braves put large get-well cards for former manager Bobby Cox at three locations for fans to sign. One of the four-foot wide cards was placed near Cox's statue outside SunTrust Park. Cox, the Hall of Fame former manager, suffered a stroke on Tuesday and remains in an Atlanta-area hospital. No details about Cox's condition have been released by his family or the team. Cox had a role in the pregame schedule before Monday night's home opener.
ON DECK
The Cubs will continue their nine-game road trip when they open a series at NL Central rival Milwaukee on Friday night with LHP Jose Quintana looking for his first win.
The Braves remain home to open a series against NL East rival Miami. Gausman is expected to come off the injured list for his 2019 debut after recovering from right shoulder tendinitis.