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ATLANTA -- Aaron Harang realizes his struggles in 2013 were a sign to some that he no longer could be a winning pitcher. Through eight starts in 2014, Harang is proving hes still on top of his game. Two days after his 36th birthday, Harang pitched six strong innings and, backed by home runs from Evan Gattis and Jason Heyward, led the Atlanta Braves to a 5-2 win and a three-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs on Sunday. Harang (4-3) gave up two runs on six hits and two walks. He had nine strikeouts. He is one win shy of matching his total in 26 starts combined with Seattle and the Mets last year, and hes savoring his career revival. "It means a lot, just to get back out here and prove that I can still do this," Harang said. "I know there were probably a lot of people questioning that after last year. Ive been pitching well and guys are playing well behind me and were battling through games. Its been a lot of fun. Ive just got to keep it going." Harang, who was 5-12 with a career-worst 5.40 ERA last year, has a 2.98 ERA this season. The right-hander has allowed more than two earned runs in only one of his eight starts -- nine runs in a 9-3 loss at Miami on April 30. Ryan Kalish, Chris Coghlan and Welington Castillo each struck out twice against Harang. Overall, the Cubs finished with 14 strikeouts. "They have a young, aggressive team over there and I think I was able to take a little advantage of that, knowing how aggressive they are," Harang said. Gattis gave Atlanta a 3-2 lead with his homer off Edwin Jackson in the fourth inning. Heyward added to the lead with his first home run since April 9, a two-run drive off James Russell in the seventh that landed in the Braves bullpen beyond the right-field wall. "It felt like it was longer than that," Heyward said of his power drought. "I keep on showing up every day and trying to put up good at-bats and find good pitches to hit. If you try and do too much, thats when you start to compound things." Jackson (2-3) allowed three runs on six hits and two walks in six innings. "The two balls I got hurt on were balls up and over the middle," he said. "Balls that should be hit. Ive just got to do a better job of getting ahead in the count and working down." David Carpenter pitched the ninth for his second save. B.J. Upton made a sliding catch of Kalishs short fly in centre field to end it. Atlanta closer Craig Kimbrel was rested after pitching two straight days. The NL East-leading Braves have recovered from seven straight losses by winning four of five. The Cubs, last in the NL Central, have dropped seven of eight. Ryan Doumit had a run-scoring single and Andrelton Simmons drove in a run with a double to give Atlanta a 2-0 lead in the second. The Cubs tied it in the fourth on Nate Schierholtzs two-run double. The Braves quickly reclaimed the lead when Gattis hit his eighth homer over the 380-foot sign in left field. Dan Uggla was hit by a pitch from Russell as a pinch-hitter to lead off the seventh. Uggla scored on Heywards third homer. NOTES: Jackson, who grew up in Georgia and lives in Atlanta, is 0-3 in eight career games, including six starts, against the Braves. ... Braves LF Justin Upton was held out after he sustained a bruised lower back muscle when he was hit by a pitch from Jeff Samardzija on Saturday night. Justin Upton said he hopes to play Monday in San Francisco. ... Atlanta 2B Tyler Pastornicky made his second consecutive start and was 0 for 4. ... The Braves begin a six-game road trip at the Giants with RHP Gavin Floyd facing RHP Tim Lincecum on Monday night. Lincecum beat the Braves on May 2. ... The Cubs open a four-game series in St. Louis on Monday night when LHP Travis Wood faces LHP Tyler Lyons. Cheap Air Max 1 . Roy says he will know more about Duchenes potential playing status Sunday. Duchene has been out since damaging the MCL in his left knee when he ran into a teammate against San Jose on March 29. Hes been skating on his own all week, before joining the team Saturday hours before a pivotal game in a series tied at 2. Discount Air Max 1 .twitter.com/TeZD3KOvlA — Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) September 24, 2014 Sorry for the delay, we just got back from lunch at Papa Vons #NBAFastFood pic. http://www.airmax1wholesale.com/. CSKA received the heavier punishment of playing its next European home game behind closed doors, after its supporters displayed racist and far-right symbols in the Czech Republic during a 2-1 loss to Viktoria Plzen on Dec. Cheap Air Max 1 China . - The Toronto Blue Jays have optioned pitchers Kyle Drabek, Chad Jenkins and Sean Nolin to triple-A Buffalo. Air Max 1 Wholesale .C. -- Panthers offensive tackle Jordan Gross is saying goodbye to the NFL after 11 seasons. CALGARY -- Lance Bouma continued his unexpected scoring prowess Wednesday night with his fourth goal in as many pre-season games. Now the Calgary Flames prospect will sit back, wait and hope he did enough to make the team. In the Flames final pre-season test, Calgary fell 3-2 in overtime to the Phoenix Coyotes. Defenceman Zbynek Michalek scored the winning goal. Coach Bob Hartley said the Flames will make several cuts Thursday as they get closer to the 23-man roster they will deploy when Calgary opens the regular season one week later in Washington. "I dont want to go down, Ive played in the minors before, I know what its all about," said Bouma, the Flames third round draft pick in 2008. "I know I can play here so I want to be here, for sure." Due to a serious knee injury, Bouma was limited to just three AHL games last season. That came after a 2011-12 season in which he was called up in January and spent the rest of the year with the Flames. He was a good bet to make the club last year but badly injured his knee in October while playing for Abbotsford (AHL) during the NHL lockout. "For a player that basically missed the entire year last year, Lance showed up in great shape," said Hartley. "We saw him work here last year during his rehab. Hes a very committed young man." Known more as a physical player at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, Bouma has just one goal on his NHL resume in 47 games. "After missing almost all of last year, its nice to come in and have success offensively. It gives me more confidence on the ice and in the way in the way Im playing," Bouma said. "I feel confident that Ive showed that I can play here, that my knee is fine and I have confidence in it. Hopefully they have confidence in me." Bouma says he wont let the stats sheet change who he is as a player. "I have to be an energy player," said Bouma. "I need to be as physical as possible and gett in and forecheck as much as I can.dddddddddddd Thats my game and I have to bring that every night." Boumas goal on Mike Smith from a scramble in front was one of two goals in less than two minutes that suddenly tied the game 2-2 halfway through the third period. It wasnt pretty but Hartley says thats going to be the way it has to be with this team this year. "If we can have scoring throughout the lineup, thats going to be very helpful," said Hartley. "I dont think we have one go-to guy offensively that will get 100, 110 points. If we can get scoring from our support guys that will definitely help this hockey club." The other goal for Calgary (4-2-1) was scored by Corban Knight, another young forward who is on the bubble of making the team. Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Shane Doan also scored for Phoenix (3-2-1). The Coyotes finish their pre-season Friday night with a home game against the San Jose Sharks. Mike Smith had 29 saves to get the victory while first-year Swiss goaltender Reto Berra had 22 stops for Calgary. Berra was making his home debut for the Flames. Acquired last year from St. Louis in the package Calgary got in exchange for Jay Bouwmeester, the 26-year-old has played his entire career in Switzerland. He has been locked in a goaltending battle with Karri Ramo and veteran Joey MacDonald. "Its getting better. For sure, the more youre on the ice here, you get more comfortable," Berra said. "I gave everything I had. I think I did pretty good. I think I can play in this league, but its not my decision at the end." Notes: Notable scratches for Phoenix included former Flames David Moss and Derek Morris along with Rostislav Klesla... Not dressed for Calgary were Jiri Hudler (lower body) and Mike Cammalleri (hand), who are both nursing minor injuries. Brian McGrattan also did not play. Hudler and Cammalleri are expected to be ready for the start of the regular season. ' ' '