Mike Yastrzemski ended a long wait with one swing, and the Braves rode his bat to a 5-2 victory over the Cubs on May 13, 2026, in the opener of a three-game series at Truist Park. Yastrzemski drove in three runs, including his first homer of the season in the fifth inning, as Atlanta erased a deficit and pulled away with a four-run frame.
The homer came on a 3-2 slider from Cubs starter Colin Rea, a drive that traveled 380 feet and landed in the seats in front of the Chop House. It was Yastrzemski's first long ball after 116 at-bats and 38-plus games, and it gave the Braves the burst they needed after they had trailed 2-1. Austin Riley tied the game at 2-2 with his sixth home run of the season before Yastrzemski followed, and Atlanta kept adding after that.
Yastrzemski, one of Atlanta's key offseason acquisitions, finished with a night that also extended a notable history against Rea. He was 5-for-10 lifetime with three homers off the right-hander after the home run, and he said the difference has been as much mental as physical. His swing, he said, has felt really good lately, and after a nice off day he felt fresh and ready to go. He added that the deep lineup around him makes it easier to stay patient and avoid trying to do too much.
The Braves had gone ahead in the third when Yastrzemski singled in Dominic Smith, who later turned in a 4-for-4 night with four singles and his first four-hit game since 2022. The Cubs answered in the fourth when Alex Bregman homered, then grabbed the lead on Moisés Ballesteros' fielder's choice after Atlanta loaded the bases with walks. But the fifth inning swung the game for good, and the Braves never lost control again.
Grant Holmes allowed two earned runs over four innings and threw 78 pitches before Atlanta went to a bullpen that did the rest. Didier Fuentes earned the win with three innings of scoreless, no-hit relief and three strikeouts, and Raisel Iglesias handled the ninth for his seventh save in as many tries this season. Holmes said it felt like it was that one inning every time and called the issue mental, but he also praised the bullpen as the best in the league and said the group is strong both on and off the field.
The win lifted Atlanta to 29-13 and 6-1 in series openers at home. The Braves also improved to 14-3 when they hit at least two home runs, 24-0 when leading after eight innings and 18-7 when scoring first. The Cubs entered at 27-15, but on this night the difference was a fifth inning that changed everything and a lineup that kept the pressure on long after Yastrzemski finally broke through.
