Chicago White Sox vs Atlanta Braves

The Braves broke the deadlock in the 3rd inning. After Michael Harris II led off with a single, Austin Riley crushed an RBI double to left field, scoring Harris II and giving Atlanta a 1-0 lead.

In the 7th inning, the Braves added insurance. Once again Riley delivered — this time with a two-out RBI single that brought Harris II home again, extending the lead to 2-0. That was all the Braves would need.

The White Sox offense could only muster one hit all game — a fifth-inning single by Andrew Benintendi. No Chicago baserunner advanced past first base.

The game's defining moment came in the 3rd inning. White Sox starter Anthony Kay had cruised through the first two frames, but Harris II's leadoff single changed the complexion. Riley capitalized with his run-scoring double, giving Holmes and the Braves all the support they would need.

• Grant Holmes (W, 8-5): The Braves' right-hander delivered one of his finest outings of the season — 6.0 innings, 1 hit, 0 runs, 3 walks, and 3 strikeouts on 94 pitches (55 strikes). Holmes lowered his season ERA to 3.64 with his eighth win.

• Austin Riley (ATL): The third baseman was the offensive catalyst, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs — an RBI double in the third and an RBI single in the seventh. He now has 60 RBIs on the season.

• Raisel Iglesias (S, 26): The Braves' closer slammed the door with a perfect ninth inning, striking out two to secure his 26th save of the season.

• Anthony Kay (L, 9-6): The White Sox lefty pitched well — 6.0 innings, 5 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk, and 6 strikeouts — but received zero run support.

• Braves Bullpen: The trio of Jhosue Fuentes, Dylan Lee, and Raisel Iglesias combined for 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing just 1 hit while striking out 5.

The final score of 2-0 with an 8-to-1 hit advantage paints a clear picture of Braves pitching dominance. Chicago struck out 11 times and never advanced a runner to second base. The Braves used four pitchers for a complete-game shutout — the third whitewash by Atlanta's staff in their last ten games.

Atlanta went 1-for-11 with RISP but made it count. Chicago went 0-for-4 with RISP.

The win improved the Atlanta Braves to 75-53, strengthening their NL East lead. After dropping two straight, the Braves bounced back emphatically.

The Chicago White Sox dropped to 66-61. While they still lead the AL Central, their grip on the division is tightening after being shut out.

The Braves face the Arizona Diamondbacks on August 21. The White Sox host the Detroit Tigers at Rate Field.

A classic pitchers' duel at Rate Field: Grant Holmes turned in one of the best starts of his career, Austin Riley provided just enough offense, and the Braves bullpen finished the job with three scoreless innings.