BY PAUL NEWBERRY, AP Sports Writer
ATLANTA (AP) – Giancarlo Stanton homered and drove three runs to win the New York Yankees for their 10th birthday.
The Yankees snapped Atlanta’s own nine-game winning streak in first place in their first regular season game in nearly 120 years between teams who had won at least nine in a row.
Stanton homered in the second inning against Huascar Ynoa (4-3) and grabbed a one-all tie in the sixth with a two-out, two-run double.
Gary Sánchez gave New York some reassurance with another two-out hit in game eight by crossing the shift to bring home two more runs.
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Jordan Montgomery (5-5) worked around four walks in his five-inning stint and limited the Braves to two hits – including a homer from Dansby Swanson.
The Yankees bullpen took it from there. Jonathan Loaisiga threw two goalless innings and hit four. Wandy Peralta worked around a couple of hits in eighth place and Aroldis Chapman finished Atlanta with a 1-2-3 ninth.
In the second, Stanton gave the Yankees the lead with his 21st homer – with a 387-foot shot into the Chop House restaurant on the right in the opposite direction.
The Braves tied it down in the lower half with a long ball of their own. Swanson started a 408-foot ride in the Atlanta bullpen for his 25th homer of the season.
New York finally took the lead in sixth and took advantage of Ynoa’s only wild lead.
After defeating DJ LeMahieu on a pitch, Ynoa pulled the next two hitters back before giving Joey Gallo his only Walk of the Night.
Stanton paid the Atlanta pitcher and hanged a one-hop double off the wall on the left to get both runners home.
Ynoa made another strong start on his second appearance in a long stint on the injury list after injuring his right hand when he hit a wall in frustration. He allowed four hits, three runs, and hit nine over six innings.
Montgomery was supported by some outstanding defensive games, including a jump from Gallo on the left field line that stole a goal from Guillermo Heredia in the second half.
The game was played in a playoff-like atmosphere, with 39,176 spectators in Atlanta and lots of Yankees fans spicing things up.
It was the first duel between two teams this hot since September 7, 1901, when the Pittsburgh Pirates had a 10-game winning streak against the Philadelphia Phillies, who had won nine in a row.
The Phillies won 4-1 for their 10th straight win, but Pittsburgh went on to take the NL pennant. The first World Series should not be played for another two years.
Yankees: Former closer Zack Britton suffered another injury setback. The left-hander came on the 10-day injured list with a strained left elbow. Manager Aaron Boone said the team will be evaluating Britton’s condition over the next few days to determine the best course of action. … Still plagued by an overexerted left wrist, INF / OF Miguel Andújar has been moved to the 60-day injured list and cannot return until September 5th in pain. Boone hopes Andújar can start another rehab assignment by the end of the week.
Braves: C Travis d’Arnaud missed his third straight game since being put on the paternity list to await the birth of his child. He was again replaced by rookie William Contreras.
Yankees: LHP Andrew Heaney (8-8, 5.51 ERA) goes into the two-game final of the series on Tuesday night, making his fifth start for New York since it was taken over by the Los Angeles Angels. He is 2-1 with a 6.55 ERA for his new team.
Braves: RHP Charlie Morton (12-4, 3.47) tries his third win in a row. He is 4-2 with a 3:59 ERA in 11 career starts against the Yankees. Morton has held out at least six innings in seven of his last eight starts.
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