29 runs scored to 9 runs allowed.

That’s how dominant the Chicago Cubs have been over the past 3 games, as they finished off a sweep with an 11-4 win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday evening from Turner Field.

The sweep was a historic one, as the Cubs won every regular-season game against the Braves for the first time since 1876.

However, there is concern regarding Cubs 3rd baseman Aramis Ramirez (leads team with 81 RBI’s), who had to leave the game in the top of the 5th inning with a left hip contusion.

We’ll get to Ramirez’s injury later, but the Cubs took an early lead in the top of the 1st inning after Kosuke Fukudome hit a 1-out single off Braves starter Tom Glavine.

Derrek Lee then doubled to put runners at 2nd & 3rd with just 1 out for Aramis Ramirez.

Ramirez was intentionally walked, which loaded the bases for Reed Johnson.

Johnson made the Braves pay with an RBI single to score Fukudome from 3rd base & give Chicago a 1-0 lead.

Geovany Soto then drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Lee from 3rd base & give the Cubs a 2-0 lead.

Mark DeRosa then grounded into an inning-ending doubleplay.

The Braves cut their deficit in half during the bottom of the 2nd inning after Jeff Francouer hit a 2-out single against Cubs starter Ted Lilly.

Mark Kotsay then hit an RBI triple to score Francouer from 1st base & made it a 2-1 Cub lead.

Lilly then issued back-to-back walks to both Clint Sammons & Tom Glavine, which loaded the bases with 2 outs for Yuniel Escobar.

Escobar struck out swinging to end the inning.

The Cubs were then able to extend their lead in the top of the 3rd inning after Kosuke Fukudome & Derrek Lee hit back-to-back singles off Glavine.

Aramis Ramirez brought them both home on his 3-run homer (20th of season), which gave Chicago a 5-1 lead.

Atlanta tried to keep things close in the bottom of the 3rd inning after Martin Prado hit a lead-off double against Lilly.

Chipper Jones then followed with an RBI single, which scored Prado from 2nd base & made it a 5-2 Cub lead.

Chicago would continue to hammer away at Glavine in the top of the 4th inning thanks to a lead-off walk from Ryan Theriot.

Ted Lilly then laid down a sac bunt, which advanced Theriot to 2nd base with just 1 out for Alfonso Soriano.

Soriano then belted a 2-run homer (22nd of season) to give the Cubs a 7-2 lead.

The Braves would continue to battle though, as Mark Kotsay hit a 4th inning solo homer (6th of season) off Lilly to make it a 7-3 game.

3 batters later, Yuniel Escobar hit a 2-out single & scored on Martin Prado’s RBI double to make it a 7-4 Cub lead.

With Prado on 2nd base & 2 outs, Lilly then got Chipper Jones to strike out swinging which ended the inning.

The Cubs were able to get those 2 runs back in the top of the 5th inning, which started with a lead-off single from Aramis Ramirez off Braves reliever Buddy Carlyle.

Reed Johnson then grounded out to Casey Kotchman at 1st base, but advanced Ramirez to 2nd base on the play.

Geovany Soto then hit an RBI double to score Ramirez from 2nd & give Chicago a 8-4 lead. Soto was able to take 3rd base on the play thanks to a throwing error by Martin Prado

Mark DeRosa then hit an RBI single to score Soto from 3rd base & give the Cubs a 9-4 lead.

Chicago had a chance to score even more runs after Ryan Theriot singled to put runners at 1st & 2nd with just 1 out.

Ted Lilly then laid down his 2nd successful sac bunt of the game, which advanced both DeRosa & Theriot into scoring position.

Alfonso Soriano was then intentionally walked to load the bases for Kosuke Fukudome, who grounded out to Carlyle which ended the inning.

The Cubs then added 2 more runs in the 7th inning on Ryan Theriot’s RBI single & a sac fly from pinch-hitter Daryle Ward.

Atlanta then tried to put together a late 7th inning rally after Omar Infante & Casey Kotchman hit back-to-back 1-out singles off Chicago reliever Bob Howry.

Jeff Francouer then followed with a 3-run homer (10th of season) to make it a 11-7 game.

The Braves were looking to score more runs after Mark Kotsay’s double, but Carlos Marmol entered the game with 2 outs & struck-out pinch-hitter Kelly Johnson to end the inning.

Atlanta then put together 1 final rally in the bottom of the 9th inning, which started with back-to-back 2-out singles from Jeff Francouer & Mark Kotsay off Chicago closer Kerry Wood.

Wood then struck out Clint Sammons to end the game & give the Cubs their 8th consecutive road win, which has not been done since 1945.

Ironically, 1945 is the last year that the Cubs were in the Fall Classic as they lost in 7 games to the Detroit Tigers.

Every Cub regular in tonight’s starting lineup got at least 1 hit & everyone drove in at least 1 run except for Derrek Lee.

Despite the loss, Atlanta centerfielder Mark Kotsay becomes the 1st Braves player to hit for the cycle since Albert Hall did it on September 23rd, 1987.

Ted Lilly (12-6) gets the win for the Cubs after pitching 6 innings & allowed 4 runs on 8 hits while striking out 8 Braves.

There was some tension in the bottom of the 6th inning after Lilly hit Yuniel Escobar with a pitch, which prompted both benches to clear.

However, no punches were thrown as Escobar angrily pointed in Lilly’s direction while being restrained by home plate umpire C.B. Buckner.

This was perhaps in retalitation to Alfonso Soriano taking a pitch over his head from Braves pitcher Francisley Bueno in the 9th inning of Game 1 in Wednesday’s doubleheader, which the Cubs won 10-2.

Bueno was suspended 3 games for his actions before being sent down to the minors after the Cubs swept last night’s doubleheader.

Aramis Ramirez had to leave tonight’s game in the top of the 5th inning with a left hip contusion. According to Carrie Muskat from Cubs.com, Ramirez is listed as day-to-day.

Chicago will now look to win their 9th consecutive game on Friday evening from Dolphin Stadium against the Florida Marlins, as ace Carlos Zambrano (12-5, 3.22) will be opposed by Florida righthander Jack Johnson (3-0, 3.19).

Zambrano suffered his worst start of the season on August 9th against St. Louis, as Carlos got pounded for 9 runs on 10 hits in just 4 1/3 innings of work.

Zambrano has also been prone recently to serving up the long ball. In over 120 innings pitched prior to the All-Star break, Carlos allowed just 8 home runs.

But in over 30 innings since the All-Star break, Zambrano has already given up 6 homers & will face a Marlins team on Friday night which ranks 3rd in baseball with 161 home runs.

Zambrano is 4-1 in 8 career starts against Florida with a 2.55 ERA.

Johnson has pitched well in limited action this season & is 3-0 in 5 starts since the All-Star break with a 2.84 ERA.

Johnson did face the Cubs back on July 25th at Wrigley Field & gave up 2 runs on 7 hits in 5 1/3 innings of work, but received a no-decision during the Marlins’ 3-2 win.

Florida has won all 6 games that Johnson has pitched in this season.

Signing off for now,