In an astounding turn of events, the major league-leading Atlanta Braves managed to overcome a substantial six-run deficit to defeat the Chicago Cubs with a final score of 7-6.

 

The victory had significant implications, as it led to the elimination of the wild-card-contending Chicago Cubs from the NL Central race, ultimately granting the division title to the Milwaukee Brewers.

 

The remarkable comeback was ignited in the eighth inning when Sean Murphy reached base due to a two-run fielding error committed by right fielder Seiya Suzuki. Suzuki, attempting to field a fly ball, seemed to lose it in the stadium lights, allowing both runners to advance. Drew Smyly, the Cubs’ pitcher at the time, further contributed to the Braves’ resurgence by throwing two wild pitches, enabling Matt Olson to reach third base and paving the way for pinch-runner Forrest Wall to steal second. Suzuki’s error proved costly as both runners scored, propelling the Braves to victory.

 

Brad Hand pitched a scoreless eighth inning to secure the win, while Raisel Iglesias earned his 31st save in the ninth inning after facing four batters.

The Braves had been trailing 6-0 but managed to trim the deficit to 6-3 in the sixth inning, thanks to Kevin Pillar’s ninth home run, an RBI single from Matt Olson, and an RBI double by Marcell Ozuna. Pillar’s home run marked the Braves’ 300th of the season, making them only the third team in major league history to reach this milestone, joining the 2019 Minnesota Twins and the 2019 New York Yankees.

 

Ronald Acuña Jr. further fueled the comeback with his 41st homer, a two-run blast to right field in the seventh inning, narrowing the gap to 6-5.

Entering the game, the Braves were already assured of a postseason berth for the sixth consecutive year. They held a four-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL’s best record and a three-game lead over the Baltimore Orioles for the best record in the majors.

 

The Cubs initially took a 2-0 lead in the second inning with RBI singles from Yan Gomes and Miles Mastrobuoni. Suzuki extended the lead to 4-0 in the same inning with a triple into the right-center gap, and Cody Bellinger’s RBI single extended the lead to 5-0 in the fourth, prompting Bryce Elder’s exit from the game.

Bryce Elder, the Braves’ starting pitcher, struggled in this outing, surrendering seven hits, five runs, and four walks in just 3 2/3 innings. His recent performances have resulted in a 9.49 ERA over his last three starts. On the opposing side, Cubs pitcher Justin Steele allowed six hits and three runs over 5 1/3 innings.