MLB: Atlanta 8, Chicago Cubs 3

CHICAGO, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- Brian McCann hit a pair of home runs, including a first-inning shot Thursday that sent the Atlanta Braves off to an 8-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

McCann connected for a three-run home run in the first and added a solo shot in the seventh, giving him 22 homers on the season and the Braves their seventh win in eight games.

Atlanta starter Brandon Beachy (7-2) picked up the win after he gave up three runs -- two earned -- on six hits in six innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out eight. Three Atlanta relievers combined for three innings of one-hit pitching.

Chicago's Matt Garza (6-10) was roughed up for six runs -- three earned -- and eight hits while walking two and striking out six over five innings.

Michael Bourn led off the game with a single and Martin Prado reached on an error before McCann hit his first home run.

The Cubs tied the score with a run in the first when Darwin Barney singled in Starlin Castro and a pair of runs in the second off Marlon Byrd's seventh home run of the season and a groundout that scored Tyler Colvin.

The next inning Dan Uggla walked with the bases loaded and Freddie Freeman singled in a run for a 5-3 Atlanta lead. Uggla scored on a fifth-inning sacrifice fly, McCann led off the seventh with an opposite field home run and Bourne had an RBI base hit in the eighth for the final score.