Nothing separated these teams until the fifth inning, and even after Atlanta forced a tie, New York had an answer. The Mets beat the Braves 3-2 at Citi Field, getting the go-ahead run in the seventh after Matt Olson's homer had erased their early lead.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| NYM | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | X | 3 | 6 | 1 |
Sean Manaea was the story for six innings. He allowed 5 hits and 2 runs (2 earned) across 6.0 innings, with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks on 89 pitches. He left with the score tied and no decision, but his outing kept the Mets within striking distance all night. The bullpen backed him up, covering 2.2 innings without allowing a run.
New York broke through in the fifth. Alvarez doubled to left to score Taylor, giving the Mets a 0-1 lead, and Ewing followed with a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Baty and make it 0-2. Atlanta answered in the sixth when Olson homered to center, a two-run shot that scored Baldwin and tied the game at 2-2. The Mets took the lead for good in the seventh when Benge doubled to right, driving in Ewing to make it 2-3.
AJ Smith-Shawver started for Atlanta and allowed 2 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits over 4.1 innings, striking out 4 and walking 2. The Braves' bullpen was stretched further, with five relievers combining for 3.2 innings and allowing 1 run. Olson finished 1-for-4 with the two-run homer and both Atlanta RBIs, while Baldwin went 2-for-4 with a double.
The win was the Mets' third straight, improving them to 46-62, while Atlanta dropped its second in a row to fall to 62-45. The Braves still sit atop their division at the top spot, while New York remains fifth.