Soto Sparks Mets Breakout Win Over Braves
Tonight at Citi Field, the Mets trounced the Braves 7–3 thanks to a strong showing by Juan Soto, who hit two solo home runs to start a five-run fourth inning. The Braves were held to one run over five innings by Mets starter Clay Holmes, who overcame control concerns. Jeff McNeil's acrobatic catch to deny Marcell Ozuna a homer was the early highlight. The Mets' losing streak versus Atlanta ended when their offense clicked from top to bottom, with each batter contributing. The Braves, meanwhile, dropped to 37–42 and lost their sixth game out of the previous seven, continuing to struggle offensively despite taking walks.
Both sides traded lost opportunities during the first three innings, but the game remained close. Jeff McNeil's incredible leaping catch in left field prevented Ozuna from hitting a home run when he fired a deep drive in the first inning, giving the Braves an early threat. Due to good defense and a few double plays, Holmes, the Mets starter, was able to escape without giving up a run despite his command issues, walking four batters in the first three frames. Chris Sale of the Braves, on the other hand, looked impressive early on, striking out three batters in three innings and keeping the Mets scoreless. Before the Mets' bats exploded in the fourth, there was a tense, scoreless standoff.
Soto hit a solo missile to right-center in the fourth inning, sparking a five-run rally for the Mets and opening the game. New York capitalized on a struggling Sale, who was yanked before the inning was out, by stringing together hits, including RBI knocks from Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso. Ozzie Albies' single home run in the fifth inning was the Braves' final response, but Holmes stopped the damage after five strong innings. Both bullpens calmed down in the sixth inning, with Atlanta's relievers holding the Mets in check and New York's setup men preventing the Braves from gaining any ground.
The Mets added two more runs in the seventh inning, thanks to a sac fly by Brett Baty that increased the lead to 7-1 and another blast from Soto, his second homer of the evening. In the eighth inning, the Braves put together a few hits and scored two runs on a double from Matt Olson, but a fast double play ended the surge. When Atlanta placed a runner on base against Jonathan Pintaro in the ninth, the Mets brought in Edwin Díaz, who promptly ended the game with two strikeouts to end New York's losing streak against their division opponent and secure the 7-3 victory.
Among the Mets' most impressive performances tonight was Soto, who set a new MLB record with 27 career multi-homer games before turning 27. He also blasted two solo home runs, his 19th and 20th of the season, and spurred a five-run fourth inning. Additionally, Holmes was outstanding, pitching five strong innings, allowing only one run while avoiding four walks, and winning. On the defensive end, Ozuna was denied a two-run homer in the first inning by McNeil's game-changing acrobatic catch. For the Braves, Albies contributed a crucial solo shot in the fifth inning, while Drake Baldwin launched a spectacular solo homer in the fourth, one of just three Braves runs. In an otherwise difficult evening, their contributions brought attention to Atlanta's few positive moments.
