NEW YORK -- With their 10th straight win, the New York Yankees are not only the hottest team in baseball, not only toying with the National League East, not only setting records for beating above-.500 clubs that even the Murderer's Row never matched.

They are also getting better.

The Yankees' starting rotation of late had been spectacular entering Monday night, except for one very large exception -- Carsten Charles Sabathia.

That changed as the Yankees took apart the Atlanta Braves, 6-2, and Sabathia earned his league-high ninth win and first complete game of the season. He did it using a slider that was simply unfair.

Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild has witnessed some fantastic starting pitching lately -- and now ace CC Sabathia has joined the party. AP Photo/Kathy Willens

"That's the best I've ever seen him throw it," said Chris Stewart, who is Sabathia's personal catcher, at least until Yankees manager Joe Girardi changes up his lineup card.

But like everyone else on the Yankees in June, Girardi can do no wrong. He put Stewart behind the plate and made Russell Martin, and his .199 average, the DH. Then everyone watched Martin, with the Yankees trailing 2-0 in the fifth, knock an RBI double.

Derek Jeter gave the Yankees the lead with a bases-loaded, two-run bouncer up the middle. Jeter added another hit with runners in scoring position and the Bombers went 3-for-7 in that category, which had been the bane of Girardi's otherwise glorious recent existence.

The Yankees have now extended their winning streak against the best of the NL East to 10 games. Never before has a Yankees club won 10 in a row against teams with above-.500 records. If they win Tuesday, it will be the first time since 1985 that they have won 11 straight.

"I don't think you are ever satisfied," Girardi said. "When you become satisfied, you go backwards."

The Yankees are only going forward. Jeter ended the seventh with a diving stop up the middle, flipping the ball from his knees for the force at second. The Yankees played nice defense behind Sabathia.

But it was Sabathia who looked dominant.

While the Yankees' rotation has led the way in this incredible run, Sabathia has failed to consistently look like an ace. In his previous start against the Braves, he allowed a season-high 10 hits. Before that, it was a season-high five runs against the Tampa Bay Rays.