The Chicago Cubs won their sixth straight game on Saturday as a Rene Rivera grand slam helped them to a 14-12 win over the Atlanta Braves.
Anthony Rizzo added a bases-clearing triple, and Javier Baez and Jason Heyward each hit home runs as the Cubs dropped their magic number to 24 in the National League Central race.
Jon Lester returned to the mound after being placed on the disabled list with a lat strain and shoulder fatigue, and he gave up four earned runs in five innings of work for the Cubs, who are now a perfect 6-0 on their current homestand.
The game was scoreless in the second inning when Rivera stepped to the plate with the bases loaded. The catcher quickly gave his team a big lead as he deposited a pitch into the left field stands, giving the Cubs a 4-0 lead.
The teams would proceed to trade shots back and forth through the rest of the game, with Rizzo hitting a three-run triple into the right-center field gap in the fourth to give the Cubs an 8-4 lead.
The Cubs ultimately built the lead up to 11-4, but the Braves would not go away. Nick Markakis and Kurt Suzuki both drove in runs in the seventh to trim the lead to 11-7.
With Wade Davis on the mound in the ninth, the Braves mounted one more rally, as Jace Peterson hit an RBI double and Ozzie Albies hit an RBI single to cut the Cubs' lead to 14-12.
Chicago Baseball
Davis finally struck out Freddie Freeman to strand the tying run at home plate, giving the Cubs the victory.
The Cubs now hold a four-game lead in the National League Central race, as the second-place Milwaukee Brewers will take on the Washington Nationals Saturday night.
