Atlanta @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 3, 2018 ) Atlanta 5, NY Yankees 8

The New York Yankees continue nipping at the heels of Boston for the top spot in the American League East thanks to their power display, one they hope will continue in the finale of a three-game home series Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves. The Yankees rode homers from Aaron Hicks, Kyle Higashioka and Giancarlo Stanton for an 8-5 victory Tuesday, giving New York 19 homers in its past nine games and helping it win for the fifth time in that stretch.

Yankee Stadium has been kind to the Yankees, who own the majors’ best home record at 32-13 and have won 27 of their past 35 contests at home since April 21. New York rebounded from a disappointing 5-3 11-inning loss in Monday’s series opener against the National League East leaders, taking advantage of two bases-loaded walks and a wild pitch that plated a run in building a 6-0 lead after four innings. The Braves saw their four-game winning streak end but battled back to make it close, getting homers from Ender Inciarte, Ozzie Albies and Nick Markakis to rally to within one run before Stanton’s blast in the eighth. Third baseman Johan Camargo brings a nine-game hitting streak into the series finale, batting .359 during that stretch as Atlanta looks for its fifth victory in six games of a 10-game roadtrip in the series finale.

TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Julio Teheran (6-5, 4.21 ERA) vs. Yankees LH CC Sabathia (5-3, 3.02)

The one constant about Teheran’s season has been inconsistency as the Braves hope the 27-year-old can string together back-to-back solid starts. He gave up just two hits in six shutout innings to beat St. Louis on Friday, six days after giving up seven runs in 4 2/3 innings in a loss to Baltimore – which was preceded by six no-hit innings with 11 strikeouts against the Mets. Teheran is limiting hitters to a .206 average but has allowed 15 homers in 87 2/3 innings.

Sabathia makes his 525th career start and the 37-year-old looks to continue pitching like a frontline starter. He rebounded from a shaky May (5.92 ERA in five starts) to post a 1.93 ERA in June, striking out 28 and walking only seven in 32 2/3 innings, and finished the month by allowing just two earned runs in 12 1/3 innings across his final two outings. Sabathia, who is holding left-handed batters to a .183 average, is 3-1 in four starts lifetime against Atlanta but has not faced the Braves since 2012.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York RHP Aroldis Chapman pitched for the third consecutive day Tuesday, earning his 24th save.

2. Stanton’s homer makes him the 11th player ever to hit 20-plus homers in each of his first nine MLB seasons.

3. Atlanta activated RHP Arodys Vizcaino (right shoulder inflammation) – who leads the team with 15 saves – from the disabled list before Tuesday’s game.

PREDICTION: Yankees 3, Braves 1