The Yankees Piece Together a Win With a Wild Pitch and a Walk

The Yankees broke their five-game losing streak with little offense, getting a run-scoring wild pitch and bases-loaded walk from Atlanta Braves reliever Nate Jones in the eighth inning that lifted them to a 3-1 victory on Tuesday night.

Gio Urshela hit a tying home run in the fifth inning off Charlie Morton and the Yankees won with five hits, which left their four-game total at 16. They went 2 for 8 with runners in scoring position, but the last-place Yankees improved to 6-10 and avoided what would have been their worst start since 1972.

Tyler Matzek (0-2), who returned to the major leagues last year for the first time since 2015, walked pinch-hitter Aaron Hicks leading off the eighth and D.J. LeMahieu and Aaron Judge followed with singles that loaded the bases — just the second multi-hit inning for the Yankees in two games.

The slumping Clint Frazier pinch hit for Brett Gardner, and Jones relieved and bounced a slider past catcher Travis d’Arnaud for a wild pitch that scored Hicks for a 2-1 lead. Frazier popped out to second, leaving him in a 1-for-25 slide and with no R.B.I. in 41 plate appearances this season.

Giancarlo Stanton was intentionally walked, Gleyber Torres flied out to short center and Mike Ford, playing his first game this season, forced in a run with a four-pitch walk.

Jonathan Loaisiga (2-0) worked around a hit batter in the eighth, and Aroldis Chapman pitched around a walk in the ninth for his second save, his first since April 12.

Jameson Taillon, making his third start since Tommy John surgery in August 2019, lowered his ERA to 7.56 to 5.40. He allowed one run and four hits in five innings with five strikeouts and a walk.

Atlanta was missing two-thirds of its starting outfield. Right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. was held out and underwent treatment after straining his abdomen when diving back into first base on a pickoff throw Sunday night. Center fielder Cristian Pache is on the injured list with a strained left groin.

Jake Arrieta pitched five effective innings, Craig Kimbrel escaped a jam in the ninth and the Chicago Cubs beat the Mets, 3-1, on Tuesday.

Arrieta allowed one run and three hits, struck out four and walked three. Wearing short sleeves on a cool, clear night — the game-time temperature was 36 degrees — Arrieta (3-1) also contributed to two runs at the plate.

Eric Sogard had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run to help Chicago rebound from Sunday’s 13-4 loss to Atlanta. Sogard was inserted into the lineup when David Bote was scratched with an upset stomach.

Hampered by early offensive trouble, the Cubs have won just three of their last nine games.

J.D. Davis homered for the Mets, but also committed two throwing errors at third base — including one that brought home Chicago’s first run. The Mets had won five of six.

Taijuan Walker (0-1) matched his career high with six walks in three and two-thirds innings, then was ejected by John Libka when he expressed frustration with the umpire’s strike zone on his way out of the game. Walker was charged with two earned runs and two hits.

Second-year Mets Manager Luis Rojas also was thrown out by Libka after Michael Conforto struck out looking in the sixth. It was the first career ejection for Rojas.

After Arrieta departed, Rex Brothers, Brandon Workman and Andrew Chafin combined for three innings before Kimbrel worked a shaky ninth for his fourth save.