Recap: Chicago Cubs vs. Atlanta

Sports Network | July 8, 2009

Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Casey Kotchman hit a solo homer and Kenshin Kawakami pitched six strong innings, as the Atlanta Braves got by the Chicago Cubs, 4-1, in the rubber match of a three-game series at Wrigley Field.

Nate McLouth finished 2-for-5 and scored twice, while Martin Prado had two hits, an RBI, run scored and a pair of walks for Atlanta, which took two of the three games in the set and have won seven of 10 overall.

Braves third baseman Chipper Jones (right groin) was held out of the lineup for the second straight game and is listed as day-to-day.

Kawakami (5-6) gave up one run on four hits, struck out two and walked a pair. Rafael Soriano recorded his 10th save of the season with a perfect ninth inning.

Kosuke Fukudome hit a solo homer for the Cubs, who have dropped three of their last five.

Cubs catcher Geovany Soto (mild left oblique strain) missed the game and is listed as day-to-day.

Kevin Hart (0-1), making his first career big-league start, suffered the loss. He allowed a run on four hits, walked five and fanned three over five frames. He has 33 major league relief appearances on his ledger.

The Braves opened the scoring in the third. McLouth reached with a two-out double and came around to score on Prado's base hit.

Pitching dominated the next few innings, but Kotchman's homer into the right- field bleachers off Angel Guzman to start the top of the sixth, put the Braves ahead 2-0.

Fukudome's blast over the ivy in left to lead off the home sixth, got the Cubs on the board.

Peter Moylan and Mike Gonzalez kept the Cubs scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively, then Atlanta tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the ninth. Kevin Gregg took the hill and served up a one-out single to McLouth and Prado lined a base hit to center, but the ball got past Fukudome, allowing a run to come home with Prado taking third. After Garret Anderson grounded out with the infield drawn in, Gregg uncorked a wild pitch that brought in Prado to put the Braves up 4-1.

In the bottom of the ninth, Soriano came on and set the Cubs down in turn to end the ball game.

The Cubs welcome St. Louis to Wrigley Field for the start of a four-game set on Friday, while Atlanta begins a four-game series at Colorado on Thursday...Despite the loss, the Cubs are 11-6 in their last 17 against the Braves.