MIAMI -- Giancarlo Stanton homered in the fourth inning and singled home the go-ahead run with two outs in the eighth, helping the Miami Marlins send the Chicago Cubs to their fourth consecutive defeat, 4-2 on Thursday night.
Stanton's two hits hiked his average to .216.
The Cubs still have the best record in the majors, despite their longest losing streak of the season. The game marked the start of a season-high 11-game trip for the Cubs.
Jon Lester allowed only two runs in seven innings, but Miami ended his streak of wins in five consecutive starts. The Cubs' David Ross led off the eighth with his sixth homer to make the score 2-all.
Christian Yelich started Miami's rally in the bottom of the eighth with a one-out walk against Pedro Strop (1-2). He advanced on a wild pitch and scored standing up on Stanton's opposite-field single. J.T. Realmuto followed with an RBI double.
Kyle Barraclough (4-2) pitched a scoreless eighth (see full recap).
Semien, Davis homers lift A's to win over Angels
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Marcus Semien and Khris Davis homered to help Kendall Graveman get the first win by an Oakland starter in more than three weeks as the Athletics beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-4 Thursday night.
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Graveman (3-6) gave up two runs and eight hits in 6 2/3 innings to get the first win for an A's starter since June 1 after the rotation had combined to go 0-9 in the previous 17 games.
Semien hit a three-run shot off Tim Lincecum (1-1) in Oakland's four-run second. Davis' solo shot in the fifth made it 5-2.
Sean Doolittle gave up a two-run homer to Jeff Bandy in the ninth but held on for his fourth save.
Home plate umpire Paul Emmel was hit in the head by Jefry Marte's bat with two outs in the ninth when the pinch-hitter lost control of it on a follow-through. Emmel fell to his knees before leaving the field with a towel held to his head (see full recap).
Garcia's late blast gives Braves victory
ATLANTA -- Adonis Garcia hit a go-ahead, two-run homer off Addison Reed in the eighth inning and the Atlanta Braves beat the New York Mets for the fourth straight time in a week, 4-3 Thursday.
Atlanta has improved the worst record in the NL by winning seven of eight. The Mets have lost four of six.
A.J. Pierzynski drove in two runs off Matt Harvey to boost the Braves, who posted a three-game sweep at Citi Field last weeked.
The Braves trailed 3-2 when Freddie Freeman opened the eighth with a single off Jerry Blevins. Reed (1-2) relieved with one out and, with catcher Travis d'Arnaud calling for a chest-high fastball on an 0-2 count, Garcia connected on a pitch that badly missed the target for his fourth home run.
Jim Johnson (1-4) won in relief.
Arodys Vizcaino converted his 18th save in 21 chances. Pinch hitter Matt Reynolds walked, but Curtis Granderson flied out, Asdrubal Cabrera lined out and James Loney flied out to end it (see full recap).
