Cubs beat league-leading Braves 6-4 to continue playoff chase

It’s not a given that Cubs manager David Ross will scour the standings.

“When we’re in the race I am,” Ross said. “When we’re in last place, no. I don’t want to look at it.”

Well, the Cubs are giving Ross a reason to look.

Mike Tauchman had two hits and scored twice and made a run-saving throw in the fifth inning, Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson each drove in a pair and the Cubs beat the MLB-best Braves 6-4 on Sunday in front of an amped crowd of 39,015 at Wrigley Field. Combined with the Brewers’ loss to Pittsburgh, the Cubs moved to within 1 1/2 games of the National League Central lead. Losses by the Reds and Marlins also pulled the Cubs into a tie with Cincinnati for the third and final NL wild-card spot.

They’ve done that by going 15-4 in their last 19 games and finding different ways to win, which helped them take two of three from Atlanta despite getting routed 8-0 in Friday’s opener.

“The thing I love about this team is the resiliency, the character, the consistency with which they come in every single day, who they are as humans,” Ross said. “I said this in spring training: they’re a fun group to be around.”

Like Saturday’s 8-6 win, Sunday felt like a grind for the Cubs, but they showed the characteristics Ross has liked from his team.

Matt Olson gave the Braves a 2-0 lead in the third when he hit a hanging Justin Steele slider 453 feet for a two-run home run. The Cubs didn’t stay behind long, tying the game in the bottom of the inning on a Happ fielder’s choice and then Swanson’s bases-loaded walk off Braves starter Charlie Morton that had the crowd on its feet. 

Atlanta briefly re-took the lead in the fifth, despite Tauchman throwing Ronald Acuna Jr. out at home on an Ozzie Albies single. With two outs, Austin Riley grounded to deep third but Nck Madrigal’s throw to first pulled Jeimer Candelario off the base. Olson followed with an RBI single to give the Braves a 4-3 advantage.

But once again, the Cubs immediately answered, scoring three times.

Happ’s single to center drove in Tauchman to tie the game. Cody Bellinger’s double brought in Happ to give the Cubs their first lead, and Candelario brought in Bellinger with a single to build the Cubs’ lead to 5-3.

Atlanta cut into that lead in the sixth and almost did more. Steele loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a single and was replaced by Michael Fulmer, who had to navigate the heart of the Braves order. Fulmer did hit Acuna to make it 5-4, but struck out Albies looking and got Austin Riley to swing through a 3-2 sinker.

Steele went 5 1/3 innings and allowed four runs (three earned), throwing 110 pitches.

Swanson added to the Cubs’ lead in the seventh with a run-scoring double that drove home Bellinger.