Atlanta Braves beat St. Louis Cardinals 5-1 in Wednesday night game

Ozzie Albies homered and drove in two runs as the Atlanta Braves held the St. Louis Cardinals to two hits and won 5-1 on Wednesday night. Reynaldo López pitched five strong innings, allowing just one run on two hits, and the Braves’ bullpen delivered four perfect innings to finish the shutout effort. Atlanta’s offense added three runs in the eighth inning, with RBI singles by Michael Harris II, Austin Riley and a sacrifice‑bunt RBI from Mauricio Dubón.

The loss dropped the Cardinals to a 5‑3 defeat after having won the series opener on June 30, when Nathan Church’s three‑run homer helped St. Louis beat Atlanta 5‑3. Both teams are in the midst of a tight playoff race, with the Braves retaining first place in the NL East despite a recent slump, while the Cardinals remain in a Wild‑Card position in the NL Central.