The Latest Breaking News from Adam Duvall

CHICAGO — The team that entered this series on a 14-game win streak has lost two in a row to the team that had lost 10 in a row before this. Baseball can be weird.

They’ve jumped back into the playoff picture with the longest undefeated march of the year. Here’s how they’ve done it.

The Braves scored 15 runs over three games against the Padres over the most recent weekend. They still lost the series because they kicked the ball around the field and the bullpen, usually reliable, faltered. The Braves tightened their defense at Milwaukee but lost the series opener because they couldn’t…

ATLANTA — The Padres have been riding the back end of their bullpen, living on the edge at times and going over a cliff at others.

William Contreras seemed to be a much better option than Orlando Arcia. Contreras became a run-producing machine during the three weeks when Arcia was buried on the bench. But Braves manager Brian Snitker called on Arcia, not Contreras, when he needed a designated hitter against the Red Sox.

Joey Votto, Max Muncy and the Braves’ outfielders are among the players we’re evaluating with the SI MLB Panic Meter.

NEW YORK — At the start of the fifth inning, the Braves didn’t even have a hit. By the end of it, they hadn’t scored in their past 18 innings dating to Tuesday’s doubleheader and seemed in danger of a disappointing flight home.

He threw a frisbee.

ATLANTA — In superstar Ronald Acuña’s return, the Braves defeated the Cubs, 5-1, on Thursday at Truist Park. In its sixth try, Atlanta (9-11) won its first series of the season by taking two of three from Chicago.