Zack Short had a strong debut with Atlanta, breaking the tie in the sixth inning with a double that brought in a run against Chicago rookie Shota Imanaga. This helped the Braves win 2-0 against the Cubs on Monday night.
Short stepped in at third base while Austin Riley was out due to tightness in his side. He hit a pitch from right-hander Hayden Wesneski into the right field corner, allowing Travis d’Arnaud to score after doubling with two outs.
Braves manager Brian Snitker praised Short’s performance, calling it crucial. Ronald Acuña Jr. followed with a single to left field, bringing in Short for a 2-0 lead.
Imanaga pitched five scoreless innings, continuing his record of eight straight starts without allowing more than two runs. Despite some pressure from the Braves, Imanaga managed to leave multiple baserunners stranded in several innings.
Imanaga had eight strikeouts and maintained his impressive ERA of 0.96, despite giving up seven hits and three walks.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell acknowledged Imanaga’s performance, noting that although he faced challenges, he still kept the Cubs in the game with five scoreless innings.
