BOX SCORE

CHICAGO — The Cubs started September on the right foot and Monday’s comeback win felt a bit like some of their victories that they were regularly accumulating in the first half.

They continued those winning ways on Tuesday, beating the Atlanta Braves 4-3 to take the three-game set and win their second straight series after being swept in San Francisco last week.

But Tuesday’s win had a bit of a sour note when Kyle Tucker exited the game after the sixth inning with left calf tightness, per the team.

The Cubs (80-59) made up a half-game in the NL Central on the Milwaukee Brewers, who had a rare Tuesday off day and are five back of their northern neighbors. They’re 3.5 games ahead of the San Diego Padres for the top spot in the NL Wild Card. The Padres are playing the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday. The Cubs’ magic number to clinch a playoff spot reduced to 14 after the Cincinnati Reds lost on Tuesday.

Here are three takeaways from the win:

Return of the Tuck … maybe?

Cubs fans thought they were seeing the return of peak Kyle Tucker. He hit a three-run home run in the third inning and collected a single an inning later.

The long ball was his first at Wrigley Field since July 19.

But Tucker’s exit put a bitter ending on his day.

Manager Craig Counsell said after the game Tucker was dealing with some calf tightness before the game and he got more sore as the game went on. The Cubs are going to give their star outfielder a day to rest Wednesday before the team’s off-day Thursday.

The hope is he can return for Friday afternoon’s game at Wrigley Field.

If he’s out for any more time than that, it’s a crushing blow for the Cubs, given the timing. Tucker was seemingly breaking out of a monthslong funk. He hit .438 with a 1.382 OPS, three home runs and eight RBI on the team’s recent nine-game road trip and Tuesday’s performance came after and 0-for-5 day on Monday and an extended run of struggles at his home park.

Away from the Friendly Confines, Tucker is hitting .292 this season with 15 home runs and a .923 OPS – all of which are more in line with the player the Cubs thought they were acquiring last offseason. At home, though, he’s a different player, hitting .243 with seven home runs and a .771 OPS.

Dansby’s Defense

Yes, the Cubs need Tucker – and ideally Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki and/or Pete Crow-Armstrong – to be a consistent force a the top of the lineup for the team to have success at the plate.

But as often is said, hitting can be cyclical and slumps will happen, but the backbone of this team is its defense – anchored by Gold Glove-level talent up the middle of the field. Dansby Swanson showcased that on Tuesday and showed why it’s so important.

Swanson made a pair of highlight reel plays to nab hits from his former team. The first was a sliding stop and throw to first to get Nacho Alvarez out after Justin Turner tagged him as he slid into first for the second out of the third inning.

The next came an inning later, when he ran to his right, slid and made a nifty throw to first to nab Ha-Seong Kim for the final out of the frame.

Both plays robbed Atlanta of a hit and allowed Shota Imanaga to save some of his bullets, not needing to throw extra pitches to get another out. The second play by Swanson was especially huge, because it came after Imanaga had allowed a two-run home run in the inning.

They weren’t the only nice plays by the Cubs defense. Imanaga showed off his glovework himself, ranging to his right, towards the third base side to field a bouncer from Kim and threw it to first for an out. In the eighth inning, with Caleb Thielbar pitching, Matt Shaw showcased his range, going to his left to field and fire off a throw to rob an infield hit from Ronald Acuña Jr.

Palencia shuts the door

There were some slight worries with closer Daniel Palencia of late.

He allowed six earned runs in the month of August and allowed walk-off wins twice on the West Coast road trip, including against the Colorado Rockies in the finale. He had blown his first save on Aug. 3 after recording 15 straight since assuming the closer’s role.

In a save opportunity on Tuesday, Palencia, with his lights show on display again, picked up the save after working around a pair of singles in the frame.

It wasn’t super pretty, but Palencia showed moxie in returning to a leverage spot, keeping the middle of the Braves order off the scoreboard and closing out a crucial win for his team.

The Cubs will need Palencia at his peak down the stretch as the games and the intensity continue to mount.