September 28, 2024
NEW YORK (AP) — Ozzie Albies hit a two-run homer on Carlos Rodón’s second pitch of the night, Austin Riley and Matt Olson also went deep off the left-hander and the Atlanta Braves routed the suddenly struggling New York Yankees 8-1 on Friday for their seventh win in eight games.
Chris Sale (10-2) joined Kansas City’s Seth Lugo and Philadelphia’s Ranger Suárez as the major leagues’ only 10-game winners, getting his first victory over the Yankees since 2018.
New York has lost five of six, including three in a row while allowing 32 runs to the Braves and Baltimore, and was in danger of dropping below the Orioles into second place in the AL East. By the end of the fourth inning, the Yankees had given up runs in 13 of 14 innings, including nine in a row — tying a team record from June 16-18, 1940.
Rodón (9-4) lost his second straight start after winning seven in a row and appeared to shout at someone in the dugout after the top of the first. He gave up eight runs -- seven earned -- in 3 2/3 innings and 11 hits, including seven for extra bases. His ERA has climbed from 2.93 to 3.86 in his last two outings.
Atlanta’s first five hits were off fastballs as the Braves extended their winning streak to four. Atlanta has won four straight over the Yankees, outscoring them 26-4.
Sale gave up one run and one hit in five innings with eight strikeouts and three walks. The 35-year-old left-hander was an All-Star in seven straight seasons through 2018, then struggled with injuries before Boston dealt him to Atlanta during the offseason.
Aaron Judge and Juan Soto each struck out twice against Sale. Judge has 18 strikeouts in 30 career at-bats against him and Soto has six in seven at-bats.
Riley also homered in the first. Jarred Kelenic hit a run-scoring single in the second, Ramón Laureano had an RBI double in the third and Olson hit a two-run homer in the fourth.
Riley was 2 for 3 with two walks and has 12 hits in his last 22 at-bats, including four homers and four doubles. Laureano had three doubles.
DJ LeMahieu drove in New York’s run with an RBI grounder in the second after Jahmai Jones’ wind-blown triple. The Yankees matched the season low with three hits. Brought up from Triple-A, Yoendrys Gómez pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings and Phil Bickford got two outs in his Yankees debut.
