How the game was won: The Braves staked Shelby Miller to a 1-0 lead in the first inning and 3-1 in the fourth, but he couldn't hold either in a 5-3 loss to the Cubs that extended Miller's winless streak to 17 starts. The Braves have lost 20 of their past 22 road games. Miller (5-10) was charged with six hits and five runs (three earned) in 6 1/3 innings, with four walks and eight strikeouts. Nick Markakis had two hits and two RBIs for the Braves.

Number: 17. Consecutive winless starts for Miller, who is 0-9 with a 3.11 ERA in that period, the longest winless streak by a Braves starter since Jo-Jo Reyes' 18-start drought from mid-June 2008 through mid-May 2009.

What's next: The Braves and Cubs play the third game of a four-game series at 4:05 p.m. Saturday, when rookie Williams Perez (4-4, 4.34 ERA) faces Cubs veteran right-hander Dan Haren (8-8, 3.63).

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