Braves jump out to early lead, take down Yankees

Spencer Strider threw six scoreless innings and Ozzie Albies hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs to help the Atlanta Braves beat the visiting New York Yankees 7-3 on Friday in the opener of their three-game series.

Strider (4-7) scattered three hits, walked three and struck out eight in winning his first game since June 24. It was his second six-inning scoreless effort this season.

Ronald Acuna Jr., who was batting third instead of leadoff for only the third time this season, had a double and a triple. Five of Atlanta's nine hits went for extra bases.

The losing pitcher was Yankees opener Ian Hamilton, who started his first game since 2023. Hamilton (1-1) pitched one inning and allowed three runs on three hits and one walk.

The Braves wasted no time getting to Hamilton. Jurickson Profar led off with a single, and Matt Olson and Acuna delivered back-to-back RBI doubles. Albies drove in the other run with a sacrifice fly to left field.

Acuna made a nice play in right field to kill a New York rally in the third. With runners on first and second, Cody Bellinger hit a deep fly to right that Acuna ran down in the corner. Acuna turned and fired a strike to third base to beat Jorbit Vivas, who did not slide, for an unlikely double play.

The Braves upped the lead to 6-0 in the third inning when Albies hit his eighth home run of the season into the right field seats.

Atlanta tacked on another run in fourth. Acuna tripled and scored on Drake Baldwin's single.

The Yankees cut the lead to 7-3 by scoring a pair of runs in the seventh on a two-run double by pinch hitter Giancarlo Stanton off reliever Aaron Bummer. Bellinger followed with a run-scoring single off Dylan Lee, who then struck out Aaron Judge with two runners on base to end the threat.

Atlanta relievers Pierce Johnson and Raisel Iglesias each pitched a scoreless inning to nail down the win.

Ben Rice hit two doubles for the Yankees.

--Field Level Media