Braves lose to Yankees 4-2 on July 20 despite massive homers from Olson & Acuña Jr. See how Aaron Judge's historic blast spoiled Atlanta's power surge.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a day of tape-measure shots at Truist Park, but unfortunately for Braves fans, the wrong team did most of the damage. Despite gargantuan home runs from Matt Olson and Ronald Acuña Jr., the Braves couldn't overcome an early deficit, dropping the series finale to the New York Yankees 4-2 and sinking to 43-55 on the season.
A combined 898 feet of home runs from Matt Olson and Ronald Acuña Jr. wasn't enough to overcome missed opportunities and timely Yankee hitting.
The Yankees jumped out early, with Aaron Judge continuing his MVP-caliber season by launching his 36th home run in the first inning, a historic shot that tied him with Alex Rodriguez on the Yankees' all-time list. The visitors built a 3-0 lead before Atlanta's bats finally woke up. Matt Olson crushed a 442-foot solo shot in the sixth that nearly left the Chop House, his 18th of the year. Not to be outdone, Ronald Acuña Jr. blasted a 456-foot missile in the ninth for his 13th homer. While the raw power was impressive, it was too little, too late.
The game's turning point may have come in the third inning. Down 2-0, the Braves had a chance to answer back but couldn't execute. A failed bunt attempt by Jurickson Profar resulted in a pop-up, and Matt Olson followed by grounding into an inning-ending double play. It was a frustrating sequence that killed a promising rally and encapsulated the team's season-long struggle to manufacture runs when the long ball isn't flying.
Starter Grant Holmes battled through six innings but was ultimately saddled with his ninth loss of the season. He allowed three runs on seven hits, keeping the Braves within striking distance against a tough Yankees lineup. Unfortunately, with Yankees starter Marcus Stroman dealing and the Braves' offense remaining mostly quiet, a quality start wasn't enough. The bullpen allowed one more insurance run in the seventh, sealing the team's fate.
The loss drops the Braves to 12.5 games back in the NL East, and the path forward doesn't get any easier. The team will look to shake this one off quickly as they welcome the San Francisco Giants to Truist Park tomorrow. Bryce Elder (3-6, 5.65 ERA) gets the ball in the series opener, tasked with stopping the slide and giving the offense a chance to build on Sunday's flashes of power. It's time to turn those solo shots into rallies and wins.
