The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: Atlanta loses series to Yankees following 4-2 loss on Sunday

The Atlanta Braves got a solo home run from Ronald Acuna, Jr. to start the ninth inning. Down 4-1 entering the inning, the best shot for Atlanta to tie or win this game would have come with Acuna at bat with runners on base. Following Acuna’s home run, catcher Drake Baldwin struck out, second baseman Ozzie Albies popped up to Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe, and designated hitter Marcel Ozuna grounded out to end the game.

The loss gave the series to the Yankees.

The New York Yankees wasted no time getting on the scoreboard at Truist Park on Sunday. With Braves pitcher Grant Holmes on the mound, the Yankees jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first following a solo home run from Aaron Judge (his 36th home run and 82nd RBI to date) and a RBI single from Paul Goldschmidt.

Atlanta defeated New York 7-3 on Friday behind a stellar pitching performance from Spencer Strider. On Saturday, the Yankees came back to win in the ninth inning, 12-9. On Sunday, Holmes, 4-8 with a 3.77 ERA coming into the game, was looking for some run support.

Sunday was the seventh start of the season for Yankees pitcher Marcus Stroman. With a 1-1 overall record and a 6.66 ERA, Stroman was looking to have consecutive strong starts after going five innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs in a win over Seattle. Stroman pitched six innings, only giving up a run and five hits. Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker credited Stroman after the game.

“His sinker was really good and he kept us off balance,” Snitker said.

In the third inning, with the Braves threatening to score with Michael Harris II and Nick Allen on first and second with one out, Stroman got Matt Olson to hit into a double play to end the inning. Harris got on base with a single. He was 7-24 at the plate in his last seven games at that point. That has been his best seven-game run of play in months.

The Yankees added another run in the sixth inning when Holmes hit Yankees third baseman Jorbit Vivas with a pitch with the bases loaded. Braves’ All-Star first baseman Matt Olson got that run back with a solo home run off Stroman in the sixth inning.

Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisolm doubled to bring home Aaron Judge in the seventh inning. Newly signed Braves’ reliever Dane Dunning was responsible for the run. Despite the earned run, Dunning pitched well and ate up a couple of innings for the Braves’ bullpen.

“That was huge to give a blow to the rest of the bullpen,” Snitker said.

What’s Next: The Braves will host the San Francisco Giants in a three-game series beginning on Monday night. The first pitch of Wednesday’s game will be at 12:15 p.m. San Francisco was 5-5 in its last 10 games before Sunday, while the Braves were 4-6 in the same span.

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