The lead changed hands four times before the night was through, and in the end it was an unusual play that decided it: a balk. The Yankees beat the Braves 5-4 at Yankee Stadium in a game that swung wildly through the middle innings before New York's bullpen made it hold up.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 0 |
| NYY | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | X | 5 | 8 | 0 |
Gerrit Cole was the story for seven innings. He struck out nine over 7.0 innings, allowing six hits and 2 runs (2 earned) without issuing a walk, carrying a 3.35 ERA into and out of the start. He departed with the Yankees still very much in the fight, and the bullpen covered the final two innings, allowing 2 runs across 2.0 innings to preserve the margin.
The fifth inning turned the game inside out. Atlanta tied it first when Yastrzemski doubled to left and Dubón scored, and the Braves went ahead when Jarvis singled to right, scoring Yastrzemski. New York answered immediately: Jones tripled to center to bring home Lombard Jr. and tie it again, and then Jones himself scored on a balk to put the Yankees back in front, 3-2 at that point in the frame. That go-ahead run, coming on the balk, proved to be the one Atlanta never overtook. Lombard Jr. added to the margin in the seventh with a home run to right, and Rice followed in the eighth with a solo shot to center.
Chris Sale battled hard for Atlanta, striking out eight over 6.0 innings but allowing 3 runs, all earned, with two walks. The Braves bullpen matched New York's, giving up 2 runs over 2.0 innings. Atlanta chipped away late — Acuna homered to left center in the eighth, and Smith's RBI single in the ninth brought the Braves within one — but they ran out of innings.
The result snapped Atlanta's momentum, dropping the Braves to 70-47 as they carry a two-game losing streak, while New York improved to 66-51 with its second straight win. Acuna, who finished 1-for-4 with the home run and an RBI, remains two home runs shy of 200 for his career and 13 RBI away from 500.