Kawakami pitches Braves past Cubs

[July 09, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Kenshin Kawakami shut down the Chicago Cubs for six innings and shortstop Yunel Escobar made a run-saving defensive play in the eighth, helping preserve the Atlanta Braves' 4-1 victory Wednesday.

Casey Kotchman homered for the Braves, who won a road series for the first time in nearly two months. After going 0-6 against the Cubs in 2008, Atlanta won this season's series 4-2.

With a runner on second base and reliever Mike Gonzalez trying to protect Atlanta's 2-1 eighth-inning lead, Kosuke Fukudome hit a line drive up the middle. Escobar, who turned in several outstanding plays in the series, made a full-out dive and caught the ball to keep the tying run from scoring.

The Cubs then gave away two runs in the ninth -- one on center fielder Fukudome's first error of the year and another on Kevin Gregg's wild pitch -- as fans booed the home team.

After averaging 5.06 runs in going 21-14 through May 16, the Cubs have dipped to 3.43 runs and their record slumped to 20-27. They have been held to one run or fewer 15 times during the 47-game slide. The Cubs led the league in scoring last season but rank 15th in 2009.

Kawakami (5-6) allowed one run -- Fukudome's sixth-inning homer -- on four hits, walked two and struck out two to earn his second victory since May 23. The 34-year-old rookie right-hander entered the game with a 5.65 road ERA.

Peter Moylan, Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano each worked a scoreless inning of relief. Soriano earned his 10th save.

Kevin Hart (0-1) was the latest Cubs starter done in by the team's offensive woes. Making his first big league start as a fill-in for injured Ryan Dempster, Hart allowed only one run on four hits over five innings.

Martin Prado's RBI single put Atlanta up 1-0 in the third and Kotchman led off the sixth by homering off Angel Guzman.

NOTES: The start of the game was delayed 42 minutes by rain. Gametime temperature was a cool 63 degrees. ... During batting practice, Cubs C Geovany Soto sustained a mild left oblique strain. He was scratched from the lineup and is day to day. ... Braves 3B Chipper Jones sat out a second straight game with a groin strain. He is day to day. ... Cubs RHP Carlos Zambrano, Tuesday's losing pitcher, was in the press box more than three hours before Wednesday's game singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" to an empty Wrigley Field.

[Associated Press]

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