The Chicago Cubs beat the Atlanta Braves 1-0 on Friday, snapping a 14-game winning streak and becoming the first club in 23 years to end its own string of 10 losses by snapping a string of at least 10 wins.
With his sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, Dominican rookie Christoper Morel helped the Cubs snap their 10-game losing streak, their longest since a 12-game losing streak from Aug. 5-16.
The Braves’ 14 straight wins was their longest streak since their post-1900 record of 15 straight wins, set from April 16-May 2, 2000.
Morel produced the game’s only run against reliever A.J. Minter after striking out in his first three innings. He received a recommendation from Venezuelan catcher Wilson Contreras.
“He helped me focus on what to do with that tricky left-hander,” Morel said. “Willson talked to me and said, ‘Don’t look for pitches low and over the plate, look up.'”
A pair of double-digit hitting streaks haven’t ended in the same game since Philadelphia defeated Houston on Sept. 15, 1999. On that date, the Phillies snapped their string of 11 losses and the Brewers had their 12-game winning streak snapped.
Chicago had not won 1-0 since beating Cincinnati on May 28 last year. The Braves lost 1-0 for the second time this year after they fell to Milwaukee on May 16.
Minter (2-1) gave up a groundout to Dominican starter Jonathan Villar to open the eighth inning. Villar advanced to center on a sacrifice fly by Andreton Simmons, stole third on an uncontrolled throw by Minter into the dirt in front of Morel with a 2-1 count.
Villar scored on Morel’s 84-meter (277-foot) fly to center in the wind.
Marca
