NEW YORK — Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a home run while Spencer Schwellenbach delivered an impressive seven-inning performance, securing the Atlanta Braves’ narrow 3-2 victory over the New York Mets on Monday night. This game marked the beginning of a four-game series between the teams.
The Braves quickly took the lead with early sacrifice flies by Michael Harris II and Sean Murphy off New York’s starting pitcher, Paul Blackburn, who has yet to claim a win this season. With this victory, the Braves maintain a flawless 4-0 record against the Mets this year.
In an attempt to rally, Juan Soto’s two-run homer brought the Mets within striking distance. However, his chance to further turn the tide was thwarted when he struck out with runners in scoring positions during the eighth inning, facing Braves’ left-hander Dylan Lee.
The Mets, struggling lately, have now lost nine of their last ten games, including being swept by the Braves in their recent series in Atlanta. Schwellenbach, now holding a 6-4 record, gave up just two early hits in the game. The Mets posed a scoring threat in the third inning, but Braves’ third baseman Austin Riley extinguished it with a spectacular diving catch on Brandon Nimmo’s popup.
Though Nimmo managed a walk in the sixth inning, Soto followed by launching his 17th home run of the season into the stands, narrowing the Braves’ lead. Schwellenbach continued to show dominance, striking out four throughout seven innings and currently leading the majors with 103 2/3 innings pitched.
Lee, called in to replace Raisel Iglesias, faced pressure in the eighth but rose to the occasion, striking out Soto with eight pitches. This notable save was just the second of Lee’s career and ended Atlanta’s streak of 31 games without a save. The Braves hadn’t closed a game this way since mid-May.
A key performance stat highlighted Acuña’s remarkable on-base percentage since his season debut, sitting above .500 as he accumulated an impressive number of hits and walks.
Looking ahead, the Braves will see Spencer Strider starting on the mound. He carries a 2-5 record with a 3.89 ERA and is set to face the Mets’ Frankie Montas, who is poised to start after being activated from the injured list.