Cubs Face Braves in Decisive Showdown with Chris Sale on the Mound
It’s another big night of baseball as the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta Braves square off at Truist Park. First pitch is set for 6:15 Central, and while it’s the last game of this series, the stakes feel pretty heavy. The Cubs have been stuck in a season-long pattern of splitting series. In fact, out of their 48 series this year, this is the 28th time they’ve gone one-and-one in the first two games. That trend has left them fighting to close things out strong, especially on the road, where they’ve been a little shaky after splitting the first two.
The history in Atlanta doesn’t do the Cubs many favors either. Since that sweep back in 2017, they’ve dropped five straight series here. Every trip since then has ended with the Braves on top, and that’s a streak the Cubs would love to finally break.
Now, when you look at the numbers, the Cubs’ offense has been steady but not explosive. They’ve scored 710 runs so far this season, averaging just under five per game. To finish with 800 runs, they’ll need to kick things up to more than five per night over the final stretch. That’s doable, but it hasn’t been their rhythm lately. They’ve crossed the six-run mark in only six of their last 29 games, and that inconsistency could make the difference in a playoff chase.
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And speaking of the chase, the Cubs’ magic number to clinch a postseason spot is down to 10. For the top Wild Card position, it’s 15. They’re neck-and-neck with the Padres in that race, which means division records and even deeper tiebreakers might come into play if things stay tight. Every game matters from here on out.
As for tonight’s matchup, Jameson Taillon gets the ball for Chicago. It’s been a rough, injury-interrupted season for him, first with a calf strain and more recently with a groin issue. But before that setback, he looked sharp in a couple of starts, giving up just two runs over 11 innings. He’s coming off a rehab outing at Triple-A and is hoping to settle in quickly against a tough Braves lineup.
On the other side, Chris Sale will take the mound for Atlanta, and that’s a name that still commands plenty of respect. Last year, he was dominant—leading the league in several pitching categories and taking home the NL Cy Young Award. This season has been interrupted by a fractured rib, but since returning, he’s been lights out, giving up only two runs in nearly 13 innings with 18 strikeouts. The last time he faced the Cubs, he blanked them over seven innings, and he’ll be looking to repeat that performance tonight.
Carlos Santana is one Cub who’s had some past success against Sale, with a decent batting line and a couple of home runs off him, though most of those at-bats came years ago. Maybe tonight he can find a little of that old spark.
It’s all set up for a compelling matchup: the Cubs trying to keep playoff momentum alive, the Braves leaning on their ace to shut the door, and a ballpark that’s seen the home team dominate this rivalry for years. First pitch is coming soon, and it feels like the kind of game that could carry extra weight in the weeks ahead.
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