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Uggla's streak ends as Braves fall to Cubs

Aug 15, 2011 - 12:04 AM Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Carlos Pena hit a two-run, seventh-inning homer to vault the Chicago Cubs past the Atlanta Braves, 6-5, in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Pena added a sac fly, Darwin Barney went 3-for-5 and scored a pair, and Tyler Colvin had a two-run single for the Cubs, winners of 11 of their last 14.

John Grabow (3-0) earned the win despite allowing a run in the sixth and Carlos Marmol worked around a Michael Bourn walk to record his 28th save of the season.

Dan Uggla went 0-for-3 with a sac fly to see his career-best, 33-game hit streak come to an end.

"It was a good streak for him," said Barney. "He's a great player. I think our pitchers are happy. They take a lot of pride in that."

Bourn went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored for the Braves, who lost the final two games of the series after reeling off five straight victories.

Eric O'Flaherty (1-4) surrendered Pena's home run to suffer the loss.

Bourn began the bottom of the first with a single, advanced to third on a throwing error by pitcher Matt Garza and scored on Uggla's sac fly to shallow left.

In the second, consecutive base hits by Alex Gonzalez and Jose Constanza placed runners at first and second with one down. Bourn followed a Brandon Beachy strikeout with a single to score Gonzalez. Constanza was caught in a rundown on the play, but reached third when Aramis Ramirez's throw hit him in the back and caromed into the outfield.

Martin Prado then ripped a sharp grounder towards third, which escaped the diving Ramirez, allowing Constanza to score.

In the fourth, Constanza reached with a walk, stole second and third, and scored on a Bourn single to make it a 4-0 game.

The Cubs knotted the contest in the sixth. Barney and Ramirez began the frame with singles and Pena followed with a sac fly. Scott Linebrink spelled Beachy and allowed back-to-back singles to Marlon Byrd and Alfonso Soriano to load the bases. Colvin pushed two across with a base hit to right, marking the end of Linebrink's brief outing.

Arodys Vizcaino entered and threw a wild pitch, allowing Soriano to score the tying run.

Garza was pulled to begin the home half and Jason Heyward greeted John Grabow with a single. Grabow's throwing error on a Gonzalez grounder allowed Heyward to score the go-ahead run.

The lead was short-lived however, as Barney began the seventh with a single and Pena followed two batters later with his 23rd home run of the season.

With one down in the fifth, Uggla appeared poised to extend his streak. He lifted a shallow fly down the right field line, but Barney sprinted under the ball and made a diving, over-the-shoulder catch to rob Uggla of a sure hit.

"The streak is one thing," said Uggla, "but I'm more disappointed with the loss. Everybody battled. They just happened to come out on top. It was a fun run, but all things gotta come to an end sometime."

Game Notes

Uggla's streak, which began July 5, marked the longest in the majors this season, eclipsing the 30-gamer by Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier. It was the longest single-season hitting streak in the majors since 2006 when Phillies second baseman Chase Utley had a 35-gamer...The Cubs have won four straight series for first time since September 9-21, 2008...Prior to the game, the Braves activated catcher Brian McCann and Linebrink from the 15-day disabled list and placed pitcher Tommy Hanson on the DL. McCann went 0- for-4...Garza allowed four runs -- two earned -- on six hits and a walk, while Beachy allowed two runs on six hits and did not walk a batter.