It`s beginning to resemble old times for the Cubs. Not like 1984, mind you, but more like two or three years ago, when the Cubs made a habit of pulling away from the pack in August and September. That is to say, heading south in the National League East standings.
Atlanta Braves` rookie pitcher Joe Johnson punched the Cubs` ticket 8-1 Friday afternoon in front of a Wrigley Field crowd of 15,920 that seemed unamused. It was the uninspired Cubs` fourth straight loss and dropped them four games below .500.
The attendance has been declining during this homestand, partly a function of the youngsters going back to school but mainly a function of visiting teams taking the Cubs to school.
Johnson allowed 11 hits but never really faced a troublesome inning. He recorded his first complete game in the majors. It was the Braves` first complete game since Aug. 8.
Johnson (2-0) said he will always have fond memories of Wrigley Field.
”I was telling a couple of the guys on the bench during the game that this is the first park I`ve pitched in in the majors that really seems like a major-league park,” Johnson said. ”Coming in here and pitching here really seems like this is the big leagues. I love the place and hope I get a chance to pitch here again.”
The Braves are marching to the beat of a different drummer in interim manager Bobby Wine. They are 5-0 since Wine succeeded the fired Eddie Haas last Monday. It is the Braves` longest winning streak since June, 1984.
”It feels good to win,” Wine said. ”When we mapped out our program when I became the manager, I think the players were ready for a change. We`ve been rounding second and looking for a way to get to third. That`s the kind of baseball this team has to play.”
Ryne Sandberg was 3-for-4, raising his average past .300 (.302) for the first time this season. But that was about the only Cub highlight.
Johnson was given a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning on Terry Harper`s home run. Bob Horner hit a solo shot in the Braves` two-run sixth. Cubs` reliever Warren Brusstar was touched for three runs in the eighth.
”Our pitching is a little thin right now with Bruce Sutter in St. Louis with a doctor (having his sore shoulder examined),” said Wine. ”We don`t know what`s going to happen with him. It was a great game for Joe to give the bullpen a day off.
”The Cubs have a good offensive club. Joe just did his job when he had to. I think he`s a great competitor. He hasn`t thrown a bad ballgame for us all year.”
The Braves will seek a third consecutive victory over the Cubs Saturday. Craig McMurtry probably will take the mound instead of scheduled starter Steve Bedrosian, who bruised a rib when he was hit by a ground ball in his last outing. Braves` reliever Terry Forster also will not be available because of a recurrence of soreness in his left shoulder.
The Braves also lost second baseman Glenn Hubbard Friday. He injured his left arm when Bobby Dernier slid into him trying for a double in the third inning. Hubbard had to leave the game, but the extent of his injury was not immediately determined.
Harper`s 17th homer gave the Braves a 3-0 lead in the fourth. Dale Murphy reached on an infield single and stole second, and Horner walked. Harper followed with a line shot into the left-field bleachers on a 2-0 pitch from Cubs` starter Ray Fontenot (5-8), who went six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits. He walked three and struck out two.
The Cubs scored in the fifth on back-to-back doubles by Gary Matthews (2- for-4) and Sandberg. Matthews` shot banged high off the wall in left- center. Sandberg missed the home run basket by a few feet.
”I had heard a lot of horror stories about Wrigley Field before I pitched today,” Johnson said. ”Two balls that were hit today I thought would be home runs. I thought the one Jody Davis hit (in the ninth) was across the street, and I thought Sandberg`s was out, too. But the wind was blowing in.” ”We got a little help from the wind blowing in (7 miles an hour),” Wine said. ”It was on our side today. We hit the ball through the wind.”
The Braves added two runs in the sixth. Horner started the rally with his 23d homer of the season, into the left-field bleachers.
