SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. (Interstat) — Grant Holmes combined with three relievers on a one-hitter, Austin Riley and Mike Yastrzemski homered and the Atlanta Braves beat the Chicago Cubs 5-2 on Tuesday night in the opener of a three-game series between the National League’s top teams.

Holmes worked four innings, allowing the Cubs’ only hit – a solo homer by Alex Bregman in the fourth – and also yielding an RBI groundout by Moisés Ballesteros. He walked four and struck out five while throwing 78 pitches. Holmes had not pitched since May 1.

Didier Fuentes (2-0) earned the win with three scoreless innings of relief, striking out three without allowing a hit. Dylan Lee pitched a perfect eighth inning and Raisel Iglesias finished with a 1-2-3 ninth for his seventh save. Iglesias has not allowed a run over 11 2/3 innings this season.

Colin Rea (4-2) took the loss for Chicago. Rea allowed five runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings.

Atlanta took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Dominic Smith singled, advanced on a groundout and scored on a line-drive single to left by Yastrzemski.

The Cubs answered in the fourth. With one out, Bregman homered to left field to tie the game. Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki walked and Michael Busch also walked to load the bases. Ballesteros then grounded into a forceout that scored Happ, giving the Cubs a 2-1 lead. But Dansby Swanson struck out to end the inning.

The Braves erupted for four runs in the fifth. Riley led off with a solo homer to left-center, tying the game at 2-2. Smith followed with a single. After a popout, Yastrzemski launched a two-run homer to right field, putting Atlanta ahead 4-2. Drake Baldwin doubled, Ozzie Albies walked and Matt Olson singled sharply to right, deflected by first baseman Busch, scoring Baldwin for a 5-2 lead. Michael Harris II struck out and Ryan Rolison picked Olson off first to end the inning.

Chicago’s offense never threatened again. The Cubs managed only one baserunner after the fourth – a walk to Nico Hoerner in the fifth – and went down in order over the final four innings. The Cubs’ one hit tied a season low for the club.

Bregman finished 1-for-4 with a homer and an RBI. Michael Conforto, Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ and Dansby Swanson combined to go 0-for-16 with eight strikeouts.

For Atlanta, Yastrzemski went 2-for-2 with a homer and three RBIs. Riley was 2-for-4 with a homer and an RBI. Smith had three hits. The Braves outhit the Cubs 11-1.

The game lasted 2 hours, 23 minutes before a crowd of 38,342 at Truist Park.

Chicago fell to 27-15 while Atlanta improved to 29-13, the best record in the National League.

The Cubs had won four of their previous five games, including three of four at home against Cincinnati. Atlanta entered having won two of three at Los Angeles.

The teams continue the series Wednesday night.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Chicago Cubs 8, Atlanta Braves 6. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Atlanta with a 50.10 percent probability to win. The Cubs had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 7 went over the over/under line of 9.