Cubs Shine Late in 4-3 Walk-Off Win vs. Braves

Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner returning to the Chicago Cubs' lineup was sorely needed. The team's bread and butter comes from the duo patrolling second base and shortstop.

With his struggles behind him, Swanson appears to have come back rejuvenated from his stint on the IL. Hoerner saved his best for last on the other hand. With three strikeouts on the day, the second baseman was in need of a spark to his bat and got it.

The bullpen gave a great performance as well to pickup starter Javier Assad. The momentum goes to the Cubs for now. It's up to them to keep it rolling on Wednesday.

Tale of the Tape

Heading into the game, the Cubs made a series of roster moves. With their Gold Glove tandem returning, the team was much improved in their matchup against the Atlanta Braves.

A two-run homer to Orlando Arcia got Atlanta on the board first. Already down, the Cubs were facing an uphill battle on the night.

Mike Tauchman's RBI single and a pass ball by Travis D'Arnaud gave the Cubs two runs to tie it. The lead was back and forth during the game. When the Braves went on top, the Cubs were right there with a response.

For such a struggling offense, it is encouraging to see that. The team has to be hoping it is the start of better things to come.

Javier Assad's night came to an end with 4.2 innings under his belt. The walks were high, but he was able to keep his team in it. For once, the bullpen came on in a major way to help out their starter.

It was a team effort the remainder of the way. The Cubs brought five relievers in over the course of the game. All five gave up zero earned runs against an imposing Braves offense. With his back against the wall, Mark Leiter Jr. was able to escape a daunting jam in the sixth inning.

The real fun came with Nico Hoerner at the plate in extras. His three strikeouts on the day were disappointing, but he came up clutch to drive in Cody Bellinger and seal a Cubs 4-3 win in extra innings.

Takeaways

The Cubs certainly have to build on the momentum from game one in the series. The NL Central is still within reach, facing a 1.5-game deficit. If they can begin to rack up series wins against teams like the Braves, it will go a long way in turning things around.

The offense is still slumbering a bit. Mike Tauchman continues his solid season , but the rest of the bats need to start producing as well. It is a team effort and one guy cannot stay hot while everyone else is cold.

Major improvements appear on the horizon for the Cubs' bullpen. To see the performances from each pitcher last night was encouraging moving forward. More additions need to be made, but Craig Counsell couldn't ask for a better performance on Tuesday.

What's On Tap Next?

The Cubs will look to keep the good times rolling in game two. It will be a battle of the lefties on the mound as Justin Steele faces off against Max Fried and the Braves. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM CDT on Marquee Sports Network.

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