Major League Baseball

Montero, Soler homer in 8th to lift Cubs over Braves 9-7

Published Aug. 22, 2015 7:02 p.m. ET

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CHICAGO (AP) Miguel Montero and Jorge Soler broke a tie with back-to-back solo homers to start the eighth inning, and the Chicago Cubs overcame homers from both sides of the plate by Nick Swisher in a 9-7, comeback win over the Atlanta Braves - their third straight- on Saturday.

Montero and Soler both lofted balls into the left field basket off former Cub Edwin Jackson (2-2), sending Atlanta to its sixth straight loss.

Swisher homered from both sides of the plate in the same game for a record-tying 14th time to drive in four runs.

Batting left-handed, Swisher lofted a wind-blown, two-run shot to left field off Cubs starter Dan Haren in the second. Hitting right-handed against Travis Wood, he lined a two-run blast to left to cap a five-run rally that put Atlanta ahead 7-3 in the fifth.

He tied the Yankees' Mark Teixeira, who homered right- and left-handed most recently in a game on July 31 against the White Sox. Swisher was acquired from Cleveland on Aug. 7.

Cubs rookie Addison Russell hit a solo shot in the sixth to tie the game at 7. The homer withstood a video review after a fan reached over the wall trying to catch the ball.

Anthony Rizzo also went deep for Chicago and had two RBIs. Dexter Fowler had three hits, including a triple, and Kris Bryant knocked in two runs with a double.

The Cubs bounced back after Atlanta's five-run fifth with three runs in the bottom of the inning - capped by an RBI double by Montero - to cut it to 7-6.

Atlanta's A.J. Pierzynski had three hits and drove in two runs. Braves rookie starter Williams Perez lasted only 4 2-3 innings, allowing six runs on four hits, and hasn't won in the majors since June 20.

Pedro Strop (2-6), the Cubs' fourth reliever, got the win. Hector Rondon pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 23rd save in 27 chances.

Haren pitched just 4 1-3 innings in his fourth start with the Cubs since being acquired at the non-waiver trade deadline from Miami. Haren, who leads the National League with 28 homers allowed, gave up four runs on four hits.

UP NEXT:

Braves RHP Matt Wesler (5-3, 4.65 ERA) takes the mound against Cubs RHP Jason Hammel (6-5, 3.38 ERA) in the finale of the four-game series Sunday afternoon. Wisler is one of four Braves to make his debut as a starter this season and has never faced the Cubs. Hammel was hit hard in his last outing, a loss Tuesday to Detroit, giving up five runs on nine hits in three innings.

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