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Braves Blank Cubs 6-0 in 1st Game

Posted on: Thursday, 7 July 2005, 15:00 CDT

ATLANTA - Horacio Ramirez pitched his first career shutout, and the Atlanta Braves chased Mark Prior in the fifth inning of a 6-0 victory Thursday that sent the Cubs to their seventh straight loss in the opener of a day-night doubleheader.

It is the second time this season the Cubs have lost seven consecutive games.

Julio Franco hit a three-run homer in the five-run fifth for the Braves, who won for the 15th time in 20 games. Rafael Furcal had a run-scoring double, and Andruw Jones hit an RBI single before the 46-year-old Franco's seventh homer of the season.

Ramirez (8-5) tossed his third career complete game and first since May 20, 2004, against Arizona. The left-hander allowed just three singles and one walk.

Prior (5-3) gave up seven hits, six runs, four walks and struck out five before being replaced by Sergio Mitre with two outs in the fifth. Chicago starters have a 6.75 ERA in the Cubs' 43 losses this season.

The Braves were to send John Smoltz to the mound Thursday night against Jerome Williams. The teams were forced to play a doubleheader after rain washed out Wednesday's game.

Todd Walker, starting at first base in place of injured Cubs All-Star Derrek Lee, singled in the second and walked in the fourth. Jeromy Burnitz singled in the seventh and Michael Barrett in the eighth for the only baserunners Ramirez allowed.

Ramirez went 3-4 with a 5.65 ERA in nine starts during the first two months of the season, but he recovered to go 4-0 with a 3.55 ERA in six May starts. He lasted just 4 2-3 innings in his previous outing, a 6-3 loss at Philadelphia last Saturday.

Making his third career start against the Cubs, Ramirez improved to 1-1. He entered with a 5.91 ERA when facing Chicago.

Prior, facing the Braves for the third time and first since 2003, dropped to 0-3 with a career ERA of 7.88 in 15 innings against Atlanta.

After returning June 26 from a non-displaced fracture in his right elbow, Prior pitched six shutout innings to beat the White Sox 2-0, but he has lost two straight starts.

Ryan Langerhans gave the Braves a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the second.

Notes:@ The Cubs lost seven straight from April 30-May 7. ... Atlanta manager Bobby Cox change course and said rookie Jeff Francoeur would start the second game in right field. Cox stated Wednesday night that Francoeur, whose contract was purchased from Double-A Mississippi, wouldn't debut until Friday. ... Braves starters Tim Hudson and Mike Hampton said they will pitch another simulated game Saturday instead of making a rehab start in Class A. ... The Cubs are 13-21 at Turner Field.

Source: Associated Press/AP Online

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