Anderson, Braves slip by slumping Yanks with 4 hits, win 4-1

NEW YORK (AP) – Ian Anderson took a shutout into the seventh inning, Austin Riley homered, and the Atlanta Braves scraped by with just four hits to beat punchless New York Yankees 4-1 Wednesday night. Corey Kluber (0-2) kept New York in it with his best start yet in pinstripes, but the Yankees lost for the sixth time in seven games due to a star-studded lineup that has almost entirely spaced out.

Anderson (1-0) limited the Yankees to four hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings, striking out four against the club he beat in his major league debut last season. The 22-year-old right-hander threw 97 pitches as temperatures dipped into the low 40s in the late innings.

New York loaded the bases against Anderson with two outs in the seventh, but reliever A.J. Minter got DJ LeMahieu to hit an inning-ending grounder to third. Will Smith allowed a run in the ninth but closed out the five-hitter. The suddenly listless Bronx Bombers are hitting .163 in their past seven games, averaging 2.57 runs, with nearly half the lineup in a serious slump.

6-11, the Yankees are off to their worst start since 1991. Their 58 runs are the fewest in the AL, and their slugging percentage is the lowest in the major leagues.

Giancarlo Stanton had a 117.3 mph lineout but went hitless, dropping to 3 for his last 34. Gleyber Torres had a hit but is just 4 for his last 32 with 1 RBI this season. Aaron Hicks is in a 1-for-17 rut, although he walked twice. Clint Frazier blooped a ninth-inning single to break a 1-for-27 slide, picking up his first RBI of the season in his 45th plate appearance.

Gio Urshela – among the few Yankees swinging the bat well – was lifted in the top of the eighth with lower back tightness. He ran gingerly to first on an inning-ending double play in the sixth. Manager Aaron Boone said the injury does not appear to be serious, and no tests are planned.

The Yankees’ pitching has been better, and Kluber (0-2) had his best start since signing an $11 million, one-year free-agent deal. He was charged with two runs, two hits, and four walks over 4 2/3 innings, throwing 91 pitches.

The two-time AL Cy Young Award winner was sharp until the fifth when he allowed a single, three walks, and Ehire Adrianza’s sacrifice fly before leaving with two outs, the bases loaded, and Atlanta up 1-0. Nick Nelson relieved and walked Marcell Ozuna on four pitches to make it 2-0 before striking out Travis d’Arnaud.

New York’s defense faltered in the seventh, letting Atlanta go ahead 3-0. First baseman Mike Ford misjudged Riley’s popup leading off, resulting in a single, and Riley advanced when second baseman LeMahieu was charged with an error for bobbling Guillermo Heredia’s grounder.

After a sacrifice bunt and an intentional walk to Freddie Freeman, Riley scored when Ozuna beat out a potential double-play despite having his bat splintered by reliever Luis Cessa.

Ozuna was 0 for four but had two RBIs. Riley was the only player in the game with two hits – including a leadoff homer against Brooks Kriske in the ninth – and walked twice. Riley was also hit by a ball in the mouth in the third inning but stayed in the game. Frazier made a diving catch to rob Adrianza of a hit, then tried to double Riley off at first, and his throw hit Riley in the lips. Riley was visited by a trainer but stayed in the game.