Tyler Mahle, Braves hold Mets in check to take rubber match

Field Level Media

Tyler Mahle pitched six strong innings and was supported by three solo homers as the Atlanta Braves defeated the visiting New York Mets 6-3 on Wednesday.

The victory enabled the Braves to take two-of-three from the Mets in their final meeting of the year. New York won the season series, 7-6.

Mahle (4-9), who was acquired from San Francisco at the trade deadline, allowed one run — ending his 11-inning scoreless streak since joining Atlanta in the sixth — on four hits with seven strikeouts.

The home runs came from Lane Thomas in the second inning and on back-to-back shots from Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Riley in the seventh. The Braves also got three hits apiece from Drake Baldwin and Riley.

Zac Thornton (3-3) was the losing pitcher. He worked six innings and allowed three runs on seven hits and one walk, striking out two.

The Braves opened the scoring in the second when Thomas launched a 412-foot solo homer into the left field seats. It was his 11th home run and his first since being acquired by Atlanta at the trade deadline.

The Braves opened the third inning with runners on the corners, but the Mets enticed Matt Olson into a double play to kill the big inning, although Ronald Acuna Jr. scored on the play.

Riley doubled and Sean Murphy singled to open the fifth inning. Acuna stroked an RBI single to center but was thrown out trying to reach second base.

The Mets got on the board in the sixth when Luis Torrens hit a solo homer to right field, his fifth, then added a solo homer from Luis Robert Jr., his sixth, in the seventh inning to cut the lead to 3-2.

The Braves padded the lead with three runs in the seventh off reliever Dedniel Nunez. Yastrzemski’s ninth homer and Riley’s 15th homer started the inning and Acuna doubled and scored on Baldwin’s single.

New York’s Bo Bichette led off the ninth with a solo homer, his 12th, off Raisel Iglesias. The Mets had runners on the corners with one out but left both men on base.