Riley’s numbers among National League’s best,

A scan of National League statistics underscores the special season that Braves third baseman Austin Riley is assembling.

Through Sunday afternoon’s game, he was second in the league in total bases with 237 (one behind teammate Freddie Freeman), was fifth in hits with 132, was tied for fifth (alongside teammates Adam Duvall and Freeman) in home runs with 27 and was among the league’s top 10 in RBIS (76), batting average (.297), slugging percentage (.533) and OPS (.904).

“You look up there at his numbers ... that’s no joke, the year he’s putting together,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “That’s real now. You can fake that out a little bit early in the year, but when you get down to this time of year sporting (those numbers), that’s legit.”

Snitker also praised Riley’s defensive play, calling him “a very competent defender.”

Riley hit his 27th homer of the season Saturday, his fourth during the Braves’ road trip to Washington, Miami and Baltimore. He went 0-for-4 in the final game of the trip Sunday. In 35 games since the All-star break, he is hitting .343/.400/.679 with 13 homers (second most in the majors since the break) and 34 RBIS.

“This game is all about being consistent,” Riley said. “To be able to start to put together offense and defense, that’s the goal.”

■ Matzek’s streak: Braves reliever Tyler Matzek has a careerbest 16⅓-inning scoreless streak after working 1⅓ innings Saturday and ⅓-inning Sunday. He has struck out 20, walked five and allowed just five hits during that stellar stretch.

He hasn’t been scored upon in his past 18 outings, dating to July 11, and has the fourth-longest active scoreless streak in the majors. He has lowered his ERA for the season to 2.25, down from 4.91 at the end of April.

“His stuff is electric,” Braves starting pitcher Drew Smyly said. “I don’t think he realizes how good his stuff is. He’s got four pitches that are really, really good pluspitches . ... He is going to be good for a long time to come.”

■ Facing more lefties: The Braves are scheduled to face lefthanded starting pitchers in both games of the upcoming series against the New York Yankees at Truist Park: Jordan Montgomery (4-5, 3.77 ERA in 22 starts this season) tonight and Andrew Heaney (8-8, 5.51 in 22 starts) on Tuesday night.

Montgomery, 28, has allowed one run or fewer in three of his past four starts, although he hasn’t pitched beyond 5⅔ innings in any of those outings.

Heaney, 30, was acquired from the Los Angeles Angels for prospects at the July 30 trade deadline. He is 2-1 with a 6.55 ERA in four starts with the Yankees, but held the Boston Red Sox to one earned run on two hits across seven innings in his most recent start.

The Braves have the second-best record in the majors in games against left-handed starting pitchers this season (22-12). They started the season 2-6 in games facing lefty starters, but are 20-6 against them since, including wins in the past 10 such games. The Braves have the best OPS in the majors against left-handed starters.

■ Ynoa, Morton for Braves: Huascar Ynoa (4-2, 2.70 in nine starts for the Braves this season) will make his second start since returning from the injured list tonight. In his first game back after missing three months with a broken right hand, Ynoa pitched 5⅓ scoreless innings against the Miami Marlins last week.

Charlie Morton (12-4, 3.47) is scheduled to start Tuesday for the Braves.

WILFREDO LEE/AP Austin Riley hits a home run against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. He hit his 27th homer of the season Saturday, his fourth during the Braves’ road trip to Washington, Miami and Baltimore.