Matt Olson’s Home Runs Lead Braves to Victory Over Mets Amid Injury Concerns
Matt Olson homered in consecutive games for the first time this season, leading the Atlanta Braves to a 9-2 rout over the New York Mets on Sunday. The victory came despite an injury to All-Star starter Reynaldo López.
Austin Riley, Orlando Arcia, and Ramón Laureano also went deep for the Braves, who managed to split the four-game series after losing the first two games. The win keeps the Braves at the top of the National League wild card standings and moves them 1.5 games ahead of the Mets for second place in the NL East.
“That’s a good win for our team,” manager Brian Snitker said. “It’s encouraging. Maybe we’re breathing some life into that offense.”
López pitched three shutout innings, lowering his major league-leading ERA to 2.06, before exiting with right forearm tightness. He is day-to-day and headed back to Atlanta for an MRI. The Braves are already dealing with several star players on the injured list. “Right now, it’s forearm tightness and we took him out as a precaution,” Snitker said. “I’m glad he said something because you just don’t know about those things.”
Pete Alonso hit a two-run homer, and Tyrone Taylor doubled twice for the Mets. Hours before the game, the Mets finalized a trade with Washington for outfielder Jesse Winker. He received a nice ovation from the Citi Field crowd before striking out as a pinch hitter in the eighth.
Olson showed frustration after striking out against David Peterson (5-1) in the first but rebounded with a three-run homer in the fourth, giving Atlanta a 3-0 lead. It was Olson’s fourth home run off Peterson in 15 at-bats.
“Still just going to be working to have consistent at-bats every time, but seeing results is good,” Olson said.
Arcia drew a bases-loaded walk later in the inning, then hit a solo homer in the seventh. Riley added a two-run shot off Ryne Stanek, who was making his Mets debut after being acquired in a trade with Seattle.
Laureano’s two-run drive in the eighth made it 9-0.
“It was good to see the offense do some damage,” Riley said.
Dylan Lee (3-2) relieved López at the start of the fourth and fired two scoreless innings. New York had six hits, including four doubles, through the first five innings but struggled to score, going 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position. The Mets’ best chance came in the fifth when Taylor was thrown out at the plate by Laureano on Ben Gamel’s single to center field.
“That’s a good pitching staff,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We created traffic today, especially in the first three innings, but couldn’t get that big hit.”
Trainer’s Room
Braves: LHP Max Fried (forearm) played long toss in the outfield. He is eligible to come off the injured list Friday, but there’s no timetable for his return.
Mets: CF Harrison Bader missed his fifth straight game with a sore right ankle. RHP Sean Reid-Foley (shoulder impingement) made a rehab appearance with High-A Brooklyn, allowing two runs over two-thirds of an inning. RHP Reed Garrett (elbow inflammation) will face hitters Wednesday before likely beginning a rehab assignment two days later.
Up Next
Braves: RHP Grant Holmes (0-0, 2.70 ERA) makes his first career start Monday night as Atlanta begins a three-game series in Milwaukee. The 28-year-old rookie spent nearly 10 years in the minors before being called up in mid-June. RHP Colin Rea (9-3, 3.60) pitches for the Brewers.
Mets: LHP Jose Quintana (5-6, 4.02 ERA) starts against Minnesota at home. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson (3-1, 3.27), a former Mets farmhand, pitches for the Twins.
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