A-Rod: “It’s been a while since we swung the bats like this”

Here’s Charles Odum of The Associated Press:

ATLANTA (AP) — Joe Girardi says baseball “has a way of evening out.”

Following a sluggish end to a homestand that cost the Yankees the AL East lead, things evened out for their bats in a big way against the Braves.

Jacoby Ellsbury hit a three-run homer, Chase Headley and Stephen Drew each added a two-run shot and New York routed the Atlanta Braves 20-6 on Sunday to finish a three-game sweep.

The Yankees almost matched their season high for runs set in a 21-5 win at Texas on July 28. They scored 38 runs in the series after scoring a combined seven runs while losing three of the last four games of a 5-4 homestand.

“When you struggle offensively, you’re due to get some guys hot and that was kind of what happened here,” Girardi said.

All three homers, which helped build an 8-2 lead, came with two outs. Headley and Drew, who had four hits, both drove in four runs.

“Guys in here understand there are going to be swings,” Headley said. “This is a confident group.”

The U.S. flag at Turner Field flew at half-staff and a moment of silence was observed before the game in memory of Gregory K. Murrey.

Murrey, a Braves season-ticket holder, died after falling from the upper deck to the lower-level seats on Saturday night. He was 60.

The Braves displayed a photo of Murrey on the video board during the moment of silence.

After the Braves cut the lead to 8-5, pinch-hitter Alex Rodriguez drove in two with a bases-loaded single in the Yankees’ nine-run seventh inning.

“It’s been a while since we swung the bats like this, so hopefully we can set the tone for September,” Rodriguez said.

Despite the sweep, the Yankees gained no ground on AL East-leading Toronto, which beat Detroit 9-2. The Blue Jays still lead New York by 1 1/2 games.

The Braves have lost five straight and 12 of 13. They have dropped nine consecutive interleague games since a win over Boston on June 17.

“They just kicked our butts,” said first baseman Freddie Freeman, who had two hits and drove in a run. “The whole series. … That’s what that lineup is capable of doing.”

Nathan Eovaldi (14-2) allowed five runs and eight hits in five-plus innings. He left the game after giving up three straight hits in the Braves’ three-run sixth.

Atlanta rookie Adonis Garcia led off the seventh with a homer against Branden Pinder.

Ellsbury hit his seventh homer with two outs in the second. Headley’s homer came after Julio Teheran (9-7) walked Greg Bird in the third inning. Teheran then walked Didi Gregorius before Drew’s homer to right.

Andrelton Simmons’ two-run single in the sixth — the third straight hit in the inning — knocked Eovaldi out of the game.

Pinch-hitter Jonny Gomes’ bloop single to right field off Adam Warren drove in Simmons, cutting New York’s lead to 8-5.

Brian McCann had a two-run single and Headley a two-run double in the big eighth inning.

DIGGING THE NATIONAL LEAGUE

Pinder, New York’s fourth pitcher, hit a run-scoring double off Jake Brigham in the eighth for his first career hit. It was the first hit by a Yankees pitcher this season.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Girardi said after the game 1B Mark Teixeira (bruised right shin) is feeling “a little better” but won’t play Monday night at Boston.

UP NEXT

RHP Ivan Nova (5-6) faces the Red Sox. Nova is 3-4 with a 5.05 ERA in 10 career games, including nine starts, against Boston.

Associated Press photos

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