Matt Olson laced a tiebreaking two-run single to cap a five-run sixth inning Tuesday night by the visiting Atlanta Braves, who continued tormenting the New York Mets with a 7-4 win in the second game of a four-game series between the National League East rivals.
The Braves improved to 5-0 against the Mets this season — all in the last eight days — and 28-10 against New York since the start of the 2022 season.
The Mets have lost 10 of 11 overall — their worst 11-game stretch since they also went 1-10 from Sept. 13-26, 2021.
Frankie Montas threw five scoreless innings in his Mets debut before the Braves rallied in the sixth, when they sent 11 batters to the plate against a trio of pitchers.
Huascar Brazoban walked the bases loaded before giving up a sacrifice fly to Ozzie Albies, pinch hitter Eli White followed with an RBI single against Jose Castillo (0-2), who plunked Michael Harris II and gave up a game-tying, run-scoring single to Nick Allen.
Olson singled off Reed Garrett two batters later for a 5-3 Atlanta lead.
Olson and Austin Riley added RBI doubles in the eighth. Allen was 3-for-4 while Marcell Ozuna singled and drew three walks in five plate appearances.
Ronald Acuna Jr was 0-for-3 with three strikeouts in five plate appearances but stole his 200th career base in the third.
The sixth-inning rally made a winner of starter Spencer Strider (3-5). The right-hander didn’t allow a hit until the fourth, when the Mets scored all three runs while sending eight batters to the plate. Jeff McNeil lofted a sacrifice fly two batters before Brett Baty hit a two-run single.
Strider gave up two hits, walked four and struck out eight while winning his third straight start. Raisel Iglesias, the Braves’ sixth pitcher, inherited a two-on, one-out jam in the ninth and allowed Ronny Maurico’s RBI double before retiring Francisco Lindor, the potential tying run, to earn his ninth save.
Montas, who had a 12.05 ERA in six minor league starts while rehabbing from a lat injury he suffered in spring training, allowed three hits and walked three with five strikeouts.
–Field Level Media
