#foltynewicz

Foltynewicz, Swanson power Braves past Cardinals in 5-2 win

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The Braves got yet another impressive pitching performance from Mike Foltynewicz as he stifled the Cardinals offense for six strong innings, giving him back-to-back solid outings after a rough start to his season. The Atlanta offense was powered by Dansby Swanson, who homered twice and had three RBI, and Freddie Freeman, who added a solo homer. The Braves went to win the opening game of…

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LEADING OFF: Price check for Red Sox, Pujols done for season

A look at what’s happening around the majors today:

PRICE CHECK The major league-leading Red Sox hope for good news on David Price. The left-hander exited Wednesday night’s start against Miami with a bruised left wrist after getting hit by a line drive. The team said X-rays were negative and further testing would be done as necessary. Price has been Boston’s best pitcher since the All-Star break. “I think it’ll be all right,” said Price, wearing a wrap and a brace on his wrist in the clubhouse. “Been hit a couple of times this year. I knew it hit me flush and caught bone.”

PLAYOFF PREVIEW? In a matchup of NL division leaders, Cubs left-hander Mike Montgomery (4-4, 3.62 ERA) is expected to come off the disabled list when Chicago visits Atlanta for a makeup game. Montgomery has been sidelined by shoulder inflammation. All-Star righty Mike Foltynewicz (10-8, 2.67) pitches for the Braves, who expect first baseman Lucas Duda to join the team. Duda was acquired Wednesday in a trade with Kansas City. Atlanta also added catcher Rene Rivera on a waiver claim from the Angels, but he’s unlikely to arrive until rosters expand Saturday.

WILD NIGHTS Seattle is chasing AL West rival Oakland for the league’s second wild card, and the teams begin a four-game series at the Coliseum.

Frankie Montas (5-3, 3.75 ERA) will be recalled from Triple-A Nashville to start for the Athletics. Montas allowed eight hits and three runs in 4 1/3 innings of a 3-2 loss to Colorado in his last big league start on July 29.

HISTORY ON HOLD Albert Pujols is likely to miss the rest of his 18th major league season after undergoing surgery on his left knee. Pujols ranks sixth with 633 career homers after passing Ken Griffey Jr. last month. The Angels’ slugger is seventh with 1,982 RBIs, just behind Lou Gehrig (1,995) and Barry Bonds (1,996), and close to becoming only the fifth member of the 2,000-RBI club.

LOOK TO THE WEST Two left-handers are on the mound in Los Angeles when the Diamondbacks and Dodgers renew acquaintances. Robbie Ray (3-2) starts for Arizona against Rich Hill (6-4). The Diamondbacks, Rockies and Dodgers are locked in a tight race atop the NL West.

ARM AND HAMMER Justin Verlander (13-8, 2.72 ERA) pitches for Houston at home in the opener of a four-game series against Mike Trout and the Angels.

Verlander, who ranks second in the AL with 229 strikeouts, has won his last two starts to give him 201 career wins.

HAPP-Y DAYS Veteran lefty J.A. Happ tries to stay perfect with the Yankees when New York opens a four-game set against Detroit. Happ is 5-0 with a 2.37 ERA in five starts since being acquired from the Blue Jays.

Happ’s career-best winning streak came in 2016 with the Blue Jays — a run he capped with a 6-0 victory over the Tigers.

RIGHT AT HOME Left-hander Wade Miley tries to remain perfect at Great American Ball Park when he starts the Brewers’ final game of a series against the Reds. He made his debut for Milwaukee on May 2 in Cincinnati and earned a 3-1 win. Miley is 4-0 in four career starts at Great American with a 2.51 ERA.

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CHICAGO | Albies, Bautista homer as Braves outslug Cubs 6-5

CHICAGO (AP) — Nobody expected 5-foot-9 Ozzie Albies to be among the major league home run leaders. Same with the Atlanta Braves’ rise to the top of the NL East.

They’ve made a believer of Cubs manager Joe Maddon. Albies hit a leadoff drive for his 13th homer, Jose Bautista connected for a three-run shot and the Braves held off Chicago 6-5 on Monday.

Julio Teheran (4-1) pitched six innings and Tyler Flowers hit his first homer this season as NL-leading Atlanta (25-15) won for the sixth time in seven games. The Braves moved 10 games over .500 for the first time since July 28, 2014.

“It’s one of those things because the names aren’t big — they’re going to be big names in a couple years,” Maddon said. “They’ll be more easily identifiable. They have some really great talent there. I’m a big fan.”

A.J. Minter worked a shaky ninth inning for his second save in the makeup of an April 15 rainout. Minter hit Ian Happ to force in a run with two out, but Kris Bryant lined out to left to end the game. Chicago closed out a 5-2 homestand with its second straight loss.

Bryant and Albert Almora Jr. each hit a two-run homer, but Jose Quintana (4-3) allowed all three Atlanta homers after pitching six sparkling innings against Miami in his previous start.

The 21-year-old Albies drove Quintana’s second pitch the opposite way into the bleachers in right for his fourth career leadoff homer. The rookie second baseman tied Manny Machado, Mookie Betts and Bryce Harper for the major league lead in homers. He also doubled and singled.

“A lot of quality at-bats throughout the whole ballgame, especially against Quintana,” Flowers said. “Right out of the gate, too. It’s always nice to get him on the ropes a little bit, get a couple runs across and give Julio something to work with.”

Almora went deep in the second, and Bryant connected in the third, but the Cubs were unable to keep up with the slugging Braves.

Flowers, Quintana’s former batterymate with the Chicago White Sox, hit a two-run shot in the third, a towering drive over the wall in left-center. Bautista lifted Atlanta to a 6-4 lead in the fifth, belting a drive to left for his second homer since joining the club on May 4.

Teheran allowed four runs and four hits, struck out one and walked three. The 27-year-old right-hander had a scoreless streak of 16 2/3 innings before Almora’s second homer of the season.

Sam Freeman replaced Teheran and got one out before departing with runners on first and second. Shane Carle then came in and retired each of his five batters while extending his scoreless streak to 13 innings.

Quintana was tagged for six runs and nine hits in 4 2/3 innings against a Braves team that has been feasting on left-handed pitching. Atlanta is 8-3 against lefty starters.

WORTH NOTING

Players and coaches on both teams wore No. 42 jerseys after they were unable to play on Jackie Robinson Day last month. Both teams were traveling to Atlanta after the game to begin a three-game set Tuesday night.

It’s the first time the Cubs will play an opponent on consecutive days in different cities since April 16-17, 1990.

THIRTY DOWN, TWO TO GO Bautista has homered in 28 current big-league parks and 30 overall after his first one at Wrigley Field gave the Braves the lead for good in the third inning.

Petco Park in San Diego and Citizen Bank Park in Philadelphia are the only current big league stadiums he has not homered in. The 37-year-old has 333 career homers.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: Jason Heyward (concussion) will travel with the team to Atlanta, but Maddon said his return date is still unknown. He became eligible to come off the seven-day concussion list Monday. … RHP Yu Darvish (virus) remains on track to come off the disabled list and pitch Tuesday against the Braves.

UP NEXT

Darvish (0-3, 6.00 ERA) will oppose Braves right-hander Mike Foltynewicz (3-2, 3.21 ERA) on Tuesday night. Foltynewicz has limited opponents to two earned runs or less in seven of his eight starts.