New York Yankees survive Atlanta Braves' late rally, win 11th straight game for first time since 1985

Over their past 10 games, the New York Yankees had celebrated wins in their own unique way, awarding the glittering, oversized championship wrestling belt to that day’s MVP.

“Seems like it’s just going around the whole locker room right now, which is pretty cool,’’ Jameson Taillon said Tuesday afternoon. “You get to see someone else give a speech every night and get that thing.’’

From a $300 million slugger, Giancarlo Stanton to an unsung Bronx-born shortstop, Andrew Velazquez, ‘The Belt’ has lately resided in every possible corner of the Yankees clubhouse.

On Tuesday night against the Atlanta Braves, it went to Wandy Peralta. 

Stanton homered for the fourth time in seven games and DJ LeMahieu delivered a go-ahead homer in the fifth, but Peralta rescued Aroldis Chapman in the dramatic end to a 5-4 Yankees win at Atlanta’s Truist Park.

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That’s 11 straight wins for the Yankees, the franchise’s longest winning streak since 1985.

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Aroldis Chapman drama 

And to get there, the Yankees also needed to survive a crazy, rocky, sweaty ninth inning.

It finally ended with the lefty Peralta, who inherited Chapman's bases-loaded, two-out situation and retired Freddie Freeman on a fly ball to left field, on a 3-2 count.

"Really good to get the belt,'' Peralta said through an interpreter. "We find ourselves on a really good winning streak, with a positive mindset right now.''

As for the status of Chapman, manager Aaron Boone suggested it might be a closer-by-committee scenario for the scorching Yankees, who have received big contributions from plenty of bullpen arms during Chapman's recent time on the IL (elbow inflammation).

“We’ve got to figure it out,’’ Boone said. “The bottom line is, a lot of (relievers) are doing some really good things down there, and Chappy’s going to be one of them too.’’

Coming off a quick ninth inning in Monday’s non-save situation, Chapman’s Tuesday was a totally different story.

On to protect a 5-3 lead, Chapman had two out with a runner on base, but he could not get the third out.

Well, he thought he had – twice.

With runners at first and second and Ozzie Albies batting, Chapman seemed to get him swinging over a slider for strike three before plate umpire Chris Conroy ruled it a foul tip.

And with his new life, Albies rapped what should have been a game-ending grounder to third baseman Rougned Odor, who threw wide of first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

Albies’ hustle and Odor’s throwing error (with defensive specialist Tyler Wade still on the bench) loaded the bases for the dangerous Jorge Soler, who walked on a 3-2 slider to force in a run, ending Chapman’s night.

Arriving in the Yankees’ dugout, Chapman fired his sweaty cap against the wall.

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More Yankees drama 

They also needed to convert a key, third out at the plate on Austin Riley’s potential game-tying single in the fifth.

Riley later committed a baserunning blunder in the eighth, easing a path for the Yankees (74-52) to sweep the two-game series from the NL East-leading Braves (68-58).

It’s the 10th straight series win by the Yankees, who maintained their AL wild card lead as they push West for series against the Athletics and Angels following Wednesday’s off date.

“I think the expectation every day when we show up is that we’re going to win a ballgame,’’ Taillon said of the Yanks’ incredible run.

As late as July 4, the Yankees were a .500 team.

“Earlier in the season, maybe some guys felt some pressure, guys were waiting to get their seasons rolling,’’ Taillon said. Now, “everyone’s just kind of clicking at the right time and it’s taken everyone in that locker room, it seems.

“It’s been fun to show up and see who’s going to get it done that night.’’

Yankees' winning edge 

Both the Braves and the Yankees were on nine-game winning streaks – an MLB meeting that hadn’t happened in nearly 120 years – before the Yanks’ series-opening 5-1 win Monday night.

On Tuesday night, the Yanks reached old nemesis Charlie Morton for four runs in five innings, starting with Stanton’s solo shot – on a hanging curveball - in the second.

With some smart hitting in the fourth, Aaron Judge’s leadoff, opposite-field double was followed shortly by Gary Sanchez’s two-out, shift-beating RBI single to right.

Sanchez’s single tied it 2-2, and LeMahieu’s two-run shot off Morton – with Velazquez (single) aboard – made it 4-2 in the fifth.

Bullpen roulette

With a mostly rested bullpen Tuesday and a travel day Wednesday, manager Aaron Boone limited starter Andrew Heaney to just four innings.

Heaney’s route to a quick, first inning was dashed by Dansby Swanson’s two-run double, following a walk to Freddie Freeman and Riley being plunked in the ankle.

But when the relievers roulette wheel began spinning, the Yanks’ ‘pen instantly put their 4-2 lead in danger.

Albert Abreu left two inherited runners for lefty Joely Rodriguez, who retired Freeman on a fielder’s choice grounder, then yielded a two-strike RBI single by Riley.

Running on the pitch, Freeman’s attempt to score the tying run from first base was thwarted by Judge’s relay to Velazquez, who gunned to Sanchez at the plate.

The out call at home survived Atlanta’s replay challenge, keeping the Yanks ahead 5-3.

Odor’s long, solo homer made it 5-3 in the seventh, and Chad Green followed Clay Holmes’ quick sixth inning (his first appearance off the COVID list) with two scoreless innings.

The Braves should have at least had runners the corners with one out in the eighth, but Riley’s attempt to take an extra base on Judge ended with Velazquez’s quick relay to nail Riley at second.

That play also survived an Atlanta challenge.

Pete Caldera is the Yankees beat writer for NorthJersey.com. Follow him on Twitter @pcaldera.