ATLANTA _ The mishaps of the Cubs bullpen continued Wednesday night, when the Braves took advantage of three eighth-inning walks against Steve Cishek to score four runs and seize a 6-4 win at SunTrust Park.
The Cubs' losing streak reached four games after Cishek and Brad Brach combined to walked five batters in the eighth. The Cubs have allowed 35 walks in five games this season _ including 17 in 171/3 innings by the bullpen.
Cishek's first seven pitches were called balls. Ronald Acuna Jr. swung and missed at the next pitch, then he and Nick Markakis walked to load the bases.
Randy Rosario replaced Cishek, and the Braves' Johan Camargo ripped a bases-clearing double over the head of center fielder Albert Almora Jr. One batter later, Dansby Swanson hit a sacrifice fly against Brach, who also walked two batters before he was replaced by Mike Montgomery.
Willson Contreras hit a two-run home run in the sixth off Jonny Venters that traveled an estimated 452 feet to give the Cubs a 3-2 lead.
Venters replaced Julio Teheran, who limited the Cubs to one run in five innings. Teheran held Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez hitless, bringing their combined total to 2 for 30 lifetime against him.
Cubs left-hander Jon Lester helped his cause in the second by poking a single into right field to score Contreras with one out. Lester pitched six innings of six-hit ball.
Swanson and Ozzie Albies hit solo homers in the third off Lester to give the Braves a 2-1 lead.
