Cole delivers another dominant start, becoming the fastest pitcher in New York Yankees history to reach 1,000 strikeouts.

Over the years, although Gerrit Cole's pitch mix has adjusted, the scouting report on his approach has never truly changed: opponents know that the New York Yankees ace will attack them head-on without hesitation.

Recently using his four-seam fastball more frequently, Cole is generating more swings and misses while also making a bit of history. In today's game at Yankee Stadium, a 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves, Cole became the fastest pitcher in Yankees history to reach 1,000 strikeouts.

Spencer Jones drove in two runs against opposing ace left-hander Chris Sale with a single in the second inning and a triple in the fifth. Another rookie, George Lombard Jr., hit an opposite-field solo home run in the seventh, his second homer in his first four career games. Ben Rice added a crucial insurance run in the eighth with a 431-foot center-field home run, as measured by Statcast, his first homer since July 27.

Cole allowed two runs over seven innings with nine strikeouts, bringing his career total to 1,002 strikeouts since joining the Yankees in his first season in 2020. Cole reached 1,000 strikeouts in 139 games and 837.2 innings, the fastest among all pitchers to achieve this milestone in pinstripes. The previous record was held by CC Sabathia, who reached 1,000 strikeouts in his 162nd game with the Yankees.

Today was Cole's 14th start since returning from elbow ligament replacement surgery, and over his last five starts, he has posted a 2.27 ERA.

The two runs the Braves scored off Cole came in the fifth inning, when he allowed four consecutive hits, including an RBI double by Mike Yastrzemski and an RBI single by Jim Jarvis.

Cole's 1,000th strikeout as a Yankee came when he got Matt Olson to look at a 98.8 mph four-seam fastball to end the top of the fifth inning.