Braves manager Brian Snitker had considered giving slumping rookie Ronald Acuna a rest Tuesday for the first time since the phenom was called up from Triple-A.
It might’ve been a good night to rest his closer instead as Arodys Vizcaino gave up two runs in the ninth inning of a 3-2 Braves loss to open a three-game series and six-game homestand at SunTrust Park.
Snitker decided against resting Acuna, and the phenom made the decision look wise when he hit a two-out, tie-breaking home run to straightaway center field in the eighth inning to give the Braves a 2-1 lead in front of a crowd of 34,452.
But Vizcaino gave up the tying run in the ninth on consecutive one-out doubles by Albert Almaro and Addison Russell, then gave up the go-ahead run on a Ben Zobrist two-out single that put the Cubs ahead, 3-2.
Since Acuna arrived from Triple-A, the National League East-leading Braves have gone 13-2 in their past 15 road games but 0-4 at home during that three-week stretch.
It was the fourth homer in 19 major league games for Acuna, who batted just .154 with one homer and one RBI in his past 10 games before Tuesday, after hitting .382 with two homers and five RBIs in his first eight games.
Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz had his fourth career 10-strikeout game and allowed only three hits and one unearned run in five innings. But he also had five walks and went so deep into counts with most hitters that he ran up 107 pitches (56 strikes) and was replaced after five.
The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on an unearned run after catcher Kurt Suzuki made an errant throw to first base on a wild-pitch strike three that would’ve been the third out of the inning.
Ender Inciarte’s fourth homer of the season and third in the past four games tied the score for the Braves in the bottom of the fourth.
