Braves break up no-hit bid, then beat Cubs

CHICAGO — For the second time in a week, the Braves were staring at the possibility of being on the wrong side of one of baseball’s historic feat.

After watching the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber hit four home runs against them last Thursday, the Braves were no-hit by the Cubs through the first six innings of Wednesday’s game in Wrigley Field.

But thanks to Ozzie Albies, Ha-Seong Kim and the pitching of Bryce Elder, the Braves not only broke up the no-hit bid, but rallied to defeat the Cubs, 5-1.

Albies broke up Chicago’s combined no-hit bid with a single in the seventh, then added a solo home run in the eight inning.

Kim hit a three-run homer and Elder pitched seven innings of four-hit ball in the Braves’ comeback win. Elder (6-9) allowed one unearned run while striking out six and walking none. The right-hander retired 15 of the last 17 hitters he faced.

Tyler Kinley pitched a perfect eighth, then Raisel Iglesias worked around two walks in the ninth to complete a four-hitter.

Claimed on waivers from Tampa Bay on Monday, Kim drove the first pitch he saw from reliever Drew Pomeranz in the seventh inning 391 feet into the left-center bleachers to put the Braves up 3-1.

Willi Castro hit an RBI single in the second to give Chicago a 1-0 lead.

The Braves scored four times on four hits and a walk in the seventh after Cubs rookie Cade Horton and reliever Ben Brown did not give up a hit through six innings.

Horton allowed only one walk and struck out six through five innings. He was replaced by Brown to start the sixth after throwing 75 pitches and retiring the last 14 hitters he faced.

Brown (5-8) struck out three and walked one in the sixth. He was charged with two runs off a hit and walk while getting one out in the seventh.

Key moment

Albies led off the seventh with single off Brown to break up the no-hit bid.