Braves defeat Mets 5-2 in series opener

The Atlanta Braves began a four-game series with the New York Mets with a 5-3 victory. This was the third consecutive game the Braves scored five runs.

The Mets were 15 games under .500, in last place in the NL East, and looking to begin stringing together wins.

Both teams were 2-8 in their last 10 games coming into Friday night.

The Braves, coming into the game 15 games over .500 and in first place in the National League East, were looking to win a series for the first time in weeks after losing series in San Diego and San Francisco, and, most recently, at home at Truist Park to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Atlanta got off to a strong start courtesy of a Michael Harris II two-run home run off of Mets starter Christian Scott in the second inning. The home run was Harris II’s 15th of the season, and it came moments after he made a spectacular catch in deep center field that would have scored at least one run for the Mets.

The RBIs were Harris II’s 300th and 301st of his career. “Tonight it was about hitting homers and good pitching,” said Harris after the game.

Braves manager Walt Weiss handed out a lot of praise after the game, and said of Harris in particular, “Michael has been one of our most consistent players.”

That didn’t matter much after all, as the Mets got those two runs back on a two-run home run from Juan Soto in the third inning. A rare error at first base, Matt Olson bobbled a routine ground ball from A.J. Ewing, allowing one of those runs to be on base for Soto’s home run.

The back-and-forth game continued as Ozzie Albies hit his 14th home run of the season, a solo job, to put Atlanta back in front in the bottom of the third.

Holmes looked better this start. He pitched five innings, striking out two Mets, and gave up the two early runs. While Scott pitched four innings and was replaced by former Braves reliever AJ Minter. Three batters into his return to Truist Park, Minter watched a fastball come off of Olson’s bat for his 21st home run of the season. Braves 4, Mets 2 through five innings. Olson had been struggling at the plate of late, particularly with home runs. He hit another solo home run in the eighth inning.

The Braves got some use out of their bullpen tonight. Danny Young and Didier Fuentes combined to pitch a scoreless seventh inning. Fuentes remained on the mound in the eighth inning and held the Mets to a single by Carson Benge, but nothing more.

Rasiel Iglesias closed the game in the ninth and notched his 17th save of the season. It wasn’t a clean save for Iglesias after giving up an earned run and three singles.

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