A tough weekend in New York

New York was not kind to the Braves in 2026.

In two trips to Citi Field, and one to Yankee Stadium, the Braves (71-47) won three of the nine games they played and lost all three series against the Mets and Yankees. Against the latter, the Braves avoided a sweep with a 2-1 victory in 10 innings Sunday.

It was a much-needed win and made for a relaxed flight home Sunday evening.

“Proud of our guys,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “We came in here, it was a tough assignment. After coming out of Atlanta really late, getting in in the early morning hours here, rain delay (Thursday) and lost our starter after three innings. We came in here tired with our bullpen taxed. So really proud of the way our guys competed.”

Weiss’ team, one could argue, was a few plays away from winning, if not sweeping the series.

Closer Raisel Iglesias was two outs from securing a 2-0 victory Friday, but his throwing error opened the door for a Yankees’ rally. They scored two in the ninth, then won it in the 10th with a sacrifice fly off Braves’ reliever Tyler Kinley.

On Saturday, a controversial balk call on Chris Sale in the fifth inning was a major turning point, but the Braves also had taken a 2-1 lead in the top half of that inning and had runners on first and second with no one out and the top of the order coming up — and failed to cash in that golden opportunity to put the game out of reach.

Relievers Víctor Mederos and Danny Young gave up solo home runs later that proved to be crucial in a 5-4 defeat.

The Braves were dominated by Yankees’ right-hander Cam Schlitter on Sunday. One of the American League’s best pitchers struck out 11; his only blemish was allowing a solo home run to Matt Olson in the seventh.

Grant Holmes’ six innings of scoreless ball, Michael Harris II’s RBI single in the 10th and Kinley’s save with the tying run in the second allowed the Braves to escape with a 2-1 win.

“Great series to be a part of,” Kinley said “A little bittersweet, we feel like we left some meat on the bone there. They had an opportunity to sweep today, we felt like we had an opportunity the way we played the first two games. But that’s just what this group is about, to be able to come back today.

“Schlittler is a video game out there on the mound with the stuff that he’s throwing. It’s unbelievable. Like we’ve done this year, (Olson) picks us up, gives us a lead, and then we’re able to scrap one again there in the 10th to get us a lead. So really fun series.”

A series loss was tough to stomach, but the Phillies in Philadelphia were dropping 2 of 3 to the Blue Jays and avoided getting swept Sunday with a 12-inning triumph. That left the Braves’ lead in the NL East at 8½ games with 44 to play.

Monday marks the start of a three-game series with the Mets at Truist Park. The last-place Mets are 6-4 against the Braves this season and come to Atlanta having won 5 of 6.