Furcal, Braves take advantage of error by Cubs' Prior
CHICAGO -- Two bunts, a bad throw and a tricky hop turned around the Atlanta Braves' day and sent Mark Prior and the Chicago Cubs to another numbing defeat at Wrigley Field.
Shortly after a throwing error by Prior, Rafael Furcal hit a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning that deflected off sure-handed Chicago first baseman Derrek Lee as the Braves rallied Wednesday for a 3-1 victory.
"The ball ate him up. If anybody can make it in all of baseball, it would be Derrek Lee," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said.
Prior (9-5) gave up just one hit in the first six innings, Andruw Jones' single to center in the fourth.
After the Cubs took a 1-0 lead against Braves starter Jorge Sosa, rookie standout Jeff Francoeur led off the seventh with a bunt single.
"I felt like it was a big enough moment in the game where we needed to get something going," Francoeur said. "Right when I hit it, I figured it was one of my best bunts ever. I was a little shocked. The last time I tried to bunt I got hit in the face last year."
When Ryan Langerhans followed with another bunt, Prior attempted to get the force at second. Instead, he threw it into center field.
CHICAGO -- Two bunts, a bad throw and a tricky hop turned around the Atlanta Braves' day and sent Mark Prior and the Chicago Cubs to another numbing defeat at Wrigley Field.
Shortly after a throwing error by Prior, Rafael Furcal hit a two-out, two-run single in the seventh inning that deflected off sure-handed Chicago first baseman Derrek Lee as the Braves rallied Wednesday for a 3-1 victory.
"The ball ate him up. If anybody can make it in all of baseball, it would be Derrek Lee," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said.
Prior (9-5) gave up just one hit in the first six innings, Andruw Jones' single to center in the fourth.
After the Cubs took a 1-0 lead against Braves starter Jorge Sosa, rookie standout Jeff Francoeur led off the seventh with a bunt single.
"I felt like it was a big enough moment in the game where we needed to get something going," Francoeur said. "Right when I hit it, I figured it was one of my best bunts ever. I was a little shocked. The last time I tried to bunt I got hit in the face last year."
When Ryan Langerhans followed with another bunt, Prior attempted to get the force at second. Instead, he threw it into center field.
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