Yankees Top Braves and Gain First Place in East Erik S. Lesser/European Pressphoto Agency Ivan Nova threw seven shutout innings, scattering five hits while striking out six to improve to 8-2. ATLANTA - After an odd few weeks in the wilderness, the Yankees finally returned to a place they expect to be. With a 3-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Monday night, the Yankees reclaimed a piece of first place in the American League East for the first time since April 24. They had fallen into a tie for last place on May 21 after losing three in a row as their record sagged to 21-21. But since then they have won 14 of 18 games to climb a season-high 10 games over .500 and move a half-game ahead of the idle Tampa Bay Rays atop the division. Much of the credit for the recent surge belongs to their starting pitching. That was again the case on Monday, when Ivan Nova threw seven shutout innings, scattering five hits while striking out six to improve to 8-2. One day after Rafael Soriano squandered his first save opportunity of the season, Manager Joe Girardi used Cory Wade and Boone Logan to secure the win for Nova in the ninth. Looking to protect a three-run lead, Girardi called upon Wade to get the first out. He then summoned Logan, the former Brave, to face the left-handed Brian McCann, who lined out sharply to Mark Teixeira at first. Logan then struck out the right-handed Dan Uggla for his second save. Soriano, who has a blister on his right index finger, had pitched two consecutive days, throwing 36 total pitches, and Girardi likes to avoid using a reliever three days in a row. Nova has had some shaky outings, but he continues to show an uncanny knack for winning games. Since last year, the Yankees are 29-10 in games that Nova starts. But all the starting pitchers have been doing well, of late. "Our starting pitching has been really good," Girardi said. That's how you put good streaks together. Since the beginning of June, when Girardi called catcher Russell Martin into his office to tell him he could do a better job of calling pitches, the starters have gone 7-1, with a 1.76 earned run average. In games that Martin has caught, they are 7-0, with a 1.01 E.R.A. Martin has also contributed at the plate recently, hitting four home runs in his past seven games. In Sunday's victory over the Mets he had two homers, including the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth. He was not as productive Monday, going 0 for 4 and twice making an out with the bases loaded. But his primary duty is to help the pitchers get outs, and he fulfilled it against the Braves. Nova also had help from right fielder Nick Swisher, who made a leaping catch at the wall to rob McCann of extra bases, perhaps even a two-run homer, in the fourth inning. Robinson Cano later snared a hot grounder from Freddie Freeman to prevent another run and end the inning. "It's nice to kind of be back in this spot," Swisher said of the Yankees" return to first, "because this is where we feel we belong." The Yankees scored one run in each of the first three innings. Alex Rodriguez doubled with two outs in the first and scored on a single to center by Cano. Raul Ibanez led off the second with his 10th home run, and in the third Rodriguez walked and scored from third on a wild pitch by Randall Delgado with two outs and two strikes on Nick Swisher. Ibanez continues to be a delight for the Yankees, who never anticipated he would have started in left field in 27 of their first 60 games. The Yankees signed him with the intention of making him the regular left-handed designated hitter with the option that he could play in the outfield. But when Brett Gardner went down with an injured elbow on April 17, Ibanez became the primary left-fielder against right-handed pitchers, changing how Girardi uses him. "Now he's a left fielder who can play some D.H.," Girardi said. Gardner will remain on the disabled list for the foreseeable future because his elbow is not ready to face the rigors of game action. Twice Gardner has felt healthy enough to test the arm in minor league rehabilitation games, only to have the pain and discomfort return. Gardner visited Dr. James Andrews on Monday to get a second opinion and was expected to travel to Cincinnati to visit Dr. Timothy Kremchek. But the Yankees do not expect that he will be ready until at least after the All-Star Game break. Girardi said he felt comfortable in the meantime using Ibanez, who turned 40 on June 2, as long as he can, provided he gets regular rest. "I think you have enough left-handers that you can do it," Girardi said before the game, referring to the days that Ibanez would have off. Probably out of 162 games we'll see 50 left-handed starters. Girardi also said he was impressed with Ibanez's ability to hold down his defensive duties. "I've been really impressed," Girardi said. He's played a good left field for us, and he works hard at it. That's the big thing about him. He works hard at everything he does. Relief pitcher Dave Robertson, who has been on the disabled list May 15 with a strained left oblique muscle, is scheduled to throw in a final minor league rehabilitation game Tuesday. If all goes well, Robertson will meet the Yankees in Washington, where they open a three-game series on Friday. ...Starter Hiroki Kuroda said that his left foot, which was struck by a line drive Friday, was not limiting him and that he expected to start Wednesday, as planned.