ATLANTA -- A Cubs fans hoisted a sign proclaiming Turner Field to be "Wrigley Field of the South."
The Cubs played like they were at home as they continued their hot streak on the road.
Rich Harden pitched five scoreless innings, Kosuke Fukudome drove in two runs with two hits and the Cubs beat the Atlanta Braves 8-0 on Wednesday night to complete their first sweep of a road doubleheader since 1992.
Chicago (73-47) improved to 26 games over .500 for the first time since ending the 1984 season 96-55, and the two wins pushed their road streak to seven in a row, their longest since June 12-22, 2004.
"Let's not talk about that and just hope it continues," said manager Lou Piniella.
The shutout came after Geovany Soto and Jim Edmonds homered and Jason Marquis defeated his old team in the Cubs' 10-2 rout in the opener.
"We got good hitting both games and really good pitching," Piniella said. "Our bullpen came in and did a good job. What else can I say?"
By contrast, the Braves struggled in every phase.
"We scored two runs in 18 innings," said manager Bobby Cox, who was ejected in the first game. "We were behind 4-0 by the second inning both games."
Harden (2-1) set a season high with five walks but allowed only two hits and struck out two.
"I didn't really have good stuff," said Harden, who combined with four relievers for the three-hit shutout, the team's fifth. "I had to throw a lot of pitches."
Harden has two victories during the road winning streak, which has helped the NL Central leaders improve to 28-30 away from home. The Cubs have outscored the Braves 38-11 and are 5-0 in the season series.
"We struggled from the first pitch of the game," said Braves catcher Brian McCann. "It's frustrating to play so poorly today. We just didn't do anything good."
Aramis Ramirez had a run-scoring single and Edmonds also drove in a run before Fukudome's two-run single off Jorge Campillo (7-5) in Chicago's four-run first inning.
Fukudome had been 3-for-32 (.093) in August before finally breaking through.
Alfonso Soriano drove in Henry Blanco with a fourth-inning double, and pinch-hitter Reed Johnson singled in the ninth and scored when Mike Gonzalez issued a bases-loaded walk to Derrek Lee. Ramirez drove in another run with a fly ball to center off Julian Tavarez.
After retiring the first eight batters, Harden walked three in a row with two outs in the third. Harden escaped the bases-loaded jam when Casey Kotchman grounded out to first base.
Notes
- The Cubs swept a doubleheader at St. Louis on June 8, 1992.
- Morton is 0-5 with a 9.00 ERA in six home starts.
- The Braves had a pregame tribute before the night game for late broadcaster Skip Caray. Six of his grandchildren threw out the first pitch, and the team unveiled a sign proclaiming the Skip Caray Broadcast Booth. Caray was 68 when he died at his home on Aug. 3.
- 3B Chipper Jones missed the second game with a stomach virus.
