Nolan McLean settled down after a rocky start to throw six solid innings and the visiting New York Mets survived an improbable ninth-inning Atlanta comeback to beat the Braves 10-9 on Sunday and end their three-game losing streak.
McLean (6-5) gave up three runs (two earned) in the first inning but settled down and did not allow further damage. He gave up five hits and one walk with five strikeouts.
New York’s Luke Weaver extended his streak of scoreless innings to 25 innings with a perfect eighth, but Huascar Brazoban, pitching for the first time since June 27, could not hold a seven-run lead. He allowed five runs, including a grand slam to Drake Baldwin, and forced the Mets to bring in closer Devin Williams.
Williams got the final two outs, but not before giving up one run and allowing runners to reach second and third. He struck out Dominic Smith to end the game and earn his 13th save.
Atlanta starter Martin Perez (6-6) had to leave the game with one out in the fifth inning after he was hit on the pitching hand by a Juan Soto comebacker. Perez allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits and two walks, striking out one. It was his first career loss to the Mets.
The game got off to a wild start. The Mets scored a run in the first on Bo Bichette’s RBI single, only to have the Braves answer with three runs in the bottom half. Michael Harris II drove in two runs with a single, advanced to third when McLean’s pickoff attempt him on the helmet and bounced into right field, and scored on Mauricio Dubon’s single.
But the Mets responded by scoring four times in the second inning. A.J. Ewing hit a solo homer, his fifth, with Francisco Lindor adding an RBI single, and Juan Soto following with a two-run single.
New York added five runs in the ninth off Carlos Carrasco. Tyrone Taylor hit a solo home run, Bo Bichette had a two-run double, and Jared Young added a two-RBI single.
