Jones hits 27th homer to power Braves

Updated: Jul 8, 2005, 02:10 am

ATLANTA -- Andruw Jones hit his major league-leading 27th

homer and prized rookie Jeff Francoeur added a three-run shot in a

six-run eighth inning as the Atlanta Braves beat Chicago 9-4 on

Thursday night to sweep a doubleheader and extend the Cubs' worst

losing streak in three years.

Chicago's eight-game slide is its worst since dropping nine in a

row from May 8-18, 2002.

Most Braves HR
Before The All-Star Break

Player

Year

Homers

Andres Galarraga

1998

28

Andruw Jones

2005

27

Hank Aaron

1973

27

Darrell Evans

1973

27

Hank Aaron

1957

27

Eddie Mathews

1953

27

The Cubs blew a 4-3 lead when Jones' two-run shot chased

reliever Roberto Novoa (2-2). Francoeur, an outfielder considered

the top prospect in the Atlanta organization, was called up from

Double-A Mississippi earlier in the day and he homered off Glendon

Rusch for his first career hit.

John Foster (2-1) pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win as

the Braves, who have won 16 of 21, batted around in the bottom half

of the inning. Marcus Giles ended the scoring with an RBI single.

Horacio Ramirez (8-5) won the opener 6-0 with his first career

shutout. The Braves chased Chicago starter Mark Prior (5-3) in the

fifth when Julio Franco hit a three-run homer.

Aramis Ramirez put the Cubs ahead 1-0 in the fourth inning of

the second game with an RBI single that ended the team's streak of

19 consecutive scoreless innings. He added his 19th homer in the

sixth, a two-run shot that made it 4-3.

The Braves had taken a 3-2 lead in the fifth on Rafael Furcal's

sixth homer, a two-run shot.

Jerome Williams started for the Cubs and allowed eight hits and

three runs in six innings.

John Smoltz, who sought his first win as a starter over the Cubs

since April 5, 1997, went seven innings for the seventh time in

eight starts. He allowed six hits and four runs. He entered with a

15-4 career record, a 2.83 ERA and eight saves against Chicago.

The Cubs, playing their second straight game without All-Star

first baseman Derrek Lee, had been outscored 15-1 in the first

three games of the series.

Lee leads the majors with a .377 average, but he felt a twinge

in his left shoulder as he struck out Tuesday. He is listed as

day-to-day.

Game notes

Francoeur, an Atlanta native and a first-round draft pick

in 2002, received a standing ovation in the third as he made his

first career at-bat. He grounded out to third. ... The Cubs lost

seven straight from April 30-May 7. ... Braves starters Tim Hudson

and Mike Hampton said they will pitch another simulated game

Saturday instead of making a rehab start in Class A.