WATCH: Atlanta scores SEVEN in the 4th inning, batting around against the Cubs

This Atlanta Braves offense has been an absolute force to be reckoned with all season, and they got back at it today against the Chicago Cubs.

Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks, a soft-tossing righty that lives on sequencing and location, hasn't had great results against Atlanta in his career - he's 1-4 with a 6.81 ERA in eight career appearances against Atlanta - was doing pretty good the first time through the order, actually. Hendricks got two strikeouts and didn't allow a hit for the first three innings, seeing all nine batters.

But then Ronald Acuña Jr came back up, and he saw plenty of pitches in his first at-bat. He ambushed a first pitch changeup back up the middle for a base hit, advancing to 3rd on an Ozzie Albies double. Ronald came in to score on a RBI groundout by Riley, bringing Matt Olson up to the plate.

Olson worked an eight-pitch at-bat, lacing a double to the left field corner to score a 2nd run for Atlanta.

.@mattolson21 doing Matt Olson things!@McDonalds | #ForTheA pic.twitter.com/dnAXbJy8xC
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 4, 2023

Sean Murphy and Marcell Ozuna followed those two runs up with back to back homeruns, scoring three more runs for Atlanta.

Lightning strikes twice ⚡️#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/6dHcu3otv5
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 4, 2023

Boys scoring faster than we can post fr#ForTheA pic.twitter.com/ZQxzEenp9C
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) August 4, 2023

Things didn't get better for Hendricks. By the time he finally got the 3rd out in the inning, getting Ozzie Albies to fly out to right field, the Braves had dropped an seven spot.

Of the eleven hitters that came up in the inning, Atlanta scored seven runs thanks to two singles, three doubles, one triple, and two home runs.

What makes this worse is it's a day game after a night game for the Cubs, and so their bullpen (which is already up and throwing) is in for a lot of work this series. Hendricks is out of the game as the 5th inning starts, with a final line of 4IP, 8H, 7R, 0BB, 3Ks.

How to Watch the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs on Friday, August 4th

The Cubs have a tradition of playing a significantly higher than average number of day games due to neighborhood restrictions in their area of Chicago, and this entire series follows that trend. First pitch today is at 2:20 PM ET from Wrigley Field. The game broadcast, with Voice of the Braves Brandon Gaudin, is available inside Braves Country on Bally Sports Southeast and is available on MLB.TV outside of the broadcast area. The radio call, with Ben Ingram, is available locally on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan or outside the Atlanta market on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network or MLB.com.

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