The Mets found another way to survive a wild one, outlasting the Braves 7-6 in 10 innings to split the second series of the season between the division rivals. Juan Soto reached base three times on walks and crushed a three-run homer, and Luis Torrens delivered the decisive blow with a game-winning double in the top of the tenth. It was the Mets’ 14th extra-inning game of the year, and this one ended with plenty of drama still hanging in the air.
The game started with Freddy Peralta trying to work through traffic and never really settling in. Michael Harris II kicked things off with an infield single that caromed off Peralta’s leg, then moved up on a wild pitch that sailed over Francisco Alvarez’s head. Even so, the inning ended without a run, though Peralta had already burned 22 pitches just to escape the first.
Carson Benge gave the Mets the first punch in the second inning, launching a homer to center field. But the Braves answered right back.
Dominic Smith singled to left, then the Mets’ defense helped open the door on an error that benefited Mike Yastrzemski. Jim Jarvis followed with an RBI single to left for his first major-league RBI, and Harris added another run with a ground ball that found its way into left for an RBI single.
Ozzie Albies ended the inning with a groundout, but Atlanta had moved ahead 2-1.
Matt Olson stretched that edge in the third, sending a homer over right field for a 3-1 Braves lead. Peralta stayed in deep into the fifth despite the pitch count climbing, and the inning got messy again.
Albies doubled when Benge couldn’t come up with a ball in right, Olson reached on a fielder’s choice, and then Peralta hit Drake Baldwin with a pitch before uncorking his second wild pitch of the night. After striking out Mauricio Dubón on his 103rd pitch, Peralta gave way to Cionel Pérez, who finished the frame.
The Mets chipped back in the sixth. Bo Bichette opened with a single over pitcher Didier Fuentes, and Benge followed with a double to left.
Bichette was sent home but cut down at the plate for the second out, leaving the Mets with just one run after Jared Young singled and Alvarez drove in Benge with a single to right. Brett Baty struck out on a foul tip to end the inning with Atlanta still up 3-2.
The middle innings kept tilting back and forth. A.J.
Ewing walked in the seventh, Soto drew his third walk of the game, and Bichette lined into a double play when Austin Riley snared the ball and got it to Albies for the tag at second. In the bottom half, A.J.
Minter allowed a single to Baldwin and a double to Dubón, but he struck out Joey Bart to stop the damage. Guillo Zuñiga then made his major league debut for the Mets in the eighth and handled it well, walking Jarvis but allowing no hits or runs.
Then came the ninth, and Soto changed everything. Alvarez led off with a single and Tyrone Taylor pinch-ran.
After Baty struck out, Ronny Mauricio singled to right and Ewing flied out, moving Taylor to third. Soto stepped in and launched a three-run homer into the chophouse in right field, giving the Mets their first lead since the second inning.
Bichette followed, took a couple of foul balls off his foot, and eventually grounded out.
The Braves answered in the bottom of the ninth against Devin Williams. Albies doubled and stole third on an uncovered base, then Olson ripped an opposite-field homer to tie it at 5-5.
Baldwin singled, Jorge Mateo pinch-ran, and after Dubón grounded out for the first out, Bart walked and Riley grounded out. Brooks Raley came in to face the left-handed Yastrzemski spot, but José Azócar pinch-hit and struck out, sending the game to extras.
In the tenth, Bichette began as the free runner for the Mets. Lindor lined out, Benge grounded out to move Bichette to third, and Owen Murphy - making his major league debut - hit Young with a pitch.
That set up Torrens, who had entered to catch in the ninth, and he lined a two-run double into left to score Bichette and Young. Baty struck out to end the inning, but the Mets had the lead again.
Luke Weaver handled the bottom of the tenth for New York, with Azócar starting as the Braves’ free runner. Harris then won a challenge that overturned strike three and followed it with a double to right, scoring Azócar and ending Weaver’s scoreless streak.
Albies struck out, Weaver intentionally walked Olson, then unintentionally walked Mateo to load the bases. Dubón finally ended it by grounding into a force out at second, and the Mets escaped with the win.
The Mets head home next to face the Royals tomorrow on short rest. Seth Lugo will pitch for Kansas City, while the Mets’ starter is listed as TBD once again.
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