The Chicago Cubs currently hold a 27-15 record following a difficult series opener in Atlanta. The club suffered its third consecutive loss on Tuesday, falling 5-2 to the major league-best Braves.
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The Cubs were held to just one hit in a 5-2 defeat. A fourth-inning solo blast managed to end a brief team scoreless streak. Starting pitcher Colin Rea provided a steady start until the fifth inning, finishing his night with 4.1 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 1 BB, and 1 K on 80 pitches. The bullpen was a silver lining, as Ryan Rolison, Jacob Webb, and Trent Thornton combined for 3.2 innings of scoreless relief. The Braves changed the game by launching back-to-back home runs in the fifth. They erased a 2-1 Cubs lead. Defensively, Pete Crow-Armstrong stunned the crowd. He made a leaping catch at the wall in the second inning. This play robbed Austin Riley of extra bases.
Alex Bregman provided the only hit for the Chicago offense. He finished 1-for-4 with a solo home run, one RBI, and one run scored. His 374-foot shot to left field in the fourth inning briefly gave the Cubs a lead. It served as a much-needed sign of life for the veteran third baseman. He has struggled through a slow start to the 2026 campaign.
The Cubs will look to Shota Imanaga (4-2, 2.28 ERA) to play the role of “stopper” on Wednesday night at Truist Park. He faces Braves rookie right-hander JR Ritchie (1-0, 3.63 ERA) with first pitch set for 7:15 p.m. ET.
With the offense cooling off, the pressure is squarely on Shota Imanaga to keep this a competitive series. What do you think?
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