Cubs play short but avoid sweep in Atlanta with 7-1 victory

ATLANTA — For the second straight game Wednesday, the Cubs’ Miles Mastrobuoni ran to shortstop and Nick Madrigal to second base to start a game.

When the season opened, neither were listed at those spots. Mastrobuoni was on the roster as a defensively versatile bench player, and Madrigal was the defensive option at third base. Gold Glovers Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner reprized their role as one of the best midfield duos in the majors.

But after a sprained right knee placed Swanson on injured reserve last week and a tight hamstring sidelined Hoerner for two games, Mastrobuoni and Madrigal stepped up.

“That’s what we need,” Mastrobuoni said before the Cubs’ 7-1 win over the Braves. “We need guys to step up in those situations until we get our guys back. And we just have to hope we don’t waste a moment.

“The last two games haven’t gone the way we wanted, but we have an opportunity today to salvage a game in a series with a very good team over there on the other side.”

That’s exactly what the Cubs did. After being shut out in the first two games of the series, they avoided the sweep. Right-hander Javier Assad pitched six scoreless innings and allowed just four hits. His sinker picked up speed and generated 12 called strikes.

“He was able to get guys to go early and get guys to go to the back door,” receiver Yan Gomes said. “Once you start getting these calls, you start trying to push the boundaries as much as you can. And it was a great pitch for him today.

After nine starts, Assad has yet to concede more than two points in a match. He is the first Cubs pitcher to have such a streak to start a season since Mordecai Brown (11 starts) in 1908, according to Baseball-Reference.com.

“He really pitches at an elite level,” manager Craig Counsell said. “I mean, it’s just exceptional what he’s doing.”

The offense put together a three-run first inning and continued to add insurance runs as the game progressed.

Mike Tauchman and Seiya Suzuki provided the power, each hammering home runs solo. But the Cubs received contributions from across the roster.

“(Tauchman’s leadoff homer) gave us some courage and obviously inspired and motivated us to come up to bat,” Suzuki said through a translator. “Obviously (the Braves) starting pitcher Charlie Morton is a very good pitcher. And for scoring a first step on the first throw, props to Tauchman. I truly appreciate it.

Madrigal went 3-for-4. Mastrobuoni recorded a hit and two walks and made a sliding grab at the grass edge in the fifth, throwing the ball across the diamond to first baseman Michael Busch, who made the tag off the base for remove Orlando Arcia.

“It was a wonderful play,” Counsell said. “And you know, what Mastro did the last two days is not that easy. He made several more plays. (He) hasn’t played much out there this year, and to step in and give us a great defense, on goal three times today, a job well done.

The midfield duo of Mastrobuoni and Madrigal embraced after the match before piling up one after the other to form the handshake line to celebrate the victory.

“It’s an important series this week, especially tonight; It’s a big game,” Madrigal said before the game. “And we have to play as a team and try to get these (injured) guys back.”