Chris Sale led the Atlanta Braves to a 5-1 victory over the struggling Minnesota Twins, earning his 15th win of the season. Sale’s strong performance included six innings with only one run allowed, keeping his streak of allowing two earned runs or fewer intact for 14 consecutive starts. Sale also recorded six strikeouts in the game, tying him for the major league lead in strikeouts this year.

Jorge Soler contributed to the Braves’ win by hitting a home run early in the game and making a crucial play by throwing out a runner at home plate later in the game. The Braves offense broke the game open in the seventh inning with Matt Olson’s RBI double and Luke Williams’ two-run double, securing the team’s ninth win in their last 11 games.

The victory brought the Braves (73-60) within five games of the NL East leaders, the Philadelphia Phillies, setting up an important four-game series between the two teams starting on Thursday night. This marks the closest the Braves have been to the Phillies since mid-May.

Despite a strong performance by Twins rookie David Festa, who struck out seven batters in six innings, the Twins were unable to overcome the Braves. Minnesota struggled to capitalize on scoring opportunities, leaving runners stranded and ultimately falling to the Braves. Sale’s stellar pitching further widened the gap between the Twins and the AL Central leaders, the Cleveland Guardians.

In the upcoming games, the Braves will send RHP Charlie Morton to the mound to face the Phillies, while the Twins will have RHP Pablo López starting against the Toronto Blue Jays after a day off. The Braves look to continue their winning streak, while the Twins aim to bounce back from their recent losses.