On a night themed around hometown hip hop royalty Cardi B and ATL-native Offset, the New York Mets couldn’t match the vibe on the scoreboard, falling 3–2 to the Atlanta Braves in the opener of their latest homestand. The loss marks New York’s ninth in their last ten games, dropping them to two games behind the Phillies in the NL East standings. Exactly one week ago, the Mets were ranked No. 2 in the MLB Team Power Rankings. Now, they’re scrambling for stability as June winds down.
Atlanta opened the scoring in the top of the second inning when Ronald Acuña Jr. launched his ninth home run of the season, a solo shot off Mets right-hander Paul Blackburn that gave the Braves an early 1–0 lead. That momentum carried into the fourth, where third baseman Brett Baty’s off-target throw to first base allowed Ozzie Albies to reach safely and extend the inning. The Braves capitalized on the miscue, plating their second run on a Michael Harris II sacrifice fly.
In the fifth, Adam Duvall drove in the Braves’ final run with an RBI single that brought Albies home following his one-out double. Blackburn was pulled after 4.2 innings, charged with six hits, three earned runs, and three walks while striking out just two. The loss moves him to 1–2 on the season.
New York’s best chance came in the sixth inning when Francisco Lindor led off with a single, and Juan Soto followed by crushing his 17th home run of the season, cutting Atlanta’s lead to 3–2. Soto’s opposite-field bomb traveled 409 feet and had an exit velocity of 108 mph, a continuation of his hot bat this month.
The Mets made another push in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases with two outs, but Braves reliever Dylan Lee delivered the biggest moment of the night, freezing Soto on a 94 mph fastball for a called third strike to preserve the Atlanta lead. Lee earned the save, his third of the season.
In the fifth, Adam Duvall drove in the Braves’ final run with an RBI single that brought Albies home following his one-out double. Blackburn was pulled after 4.2 innings, charged with six hits, three earned runs, and three walks while striking out just two. The loss moves him to 1–2 on the season.
New York’s best chance came in the sixth inning when Francisco Lindor led off with a single, and Juan Soto followed by crushing his 17th home run of the season—cutting Atlanta’s lead to 3–2. Soto’s opposite-field bomb traveled 409 feet and had an exit velocity of 108 mph, a continuation of his hot bat this month.
The Mets made another push in the bottom of the eighth, loading the bases with two outs, but Braves reliever Dylan Lee delivered the biggest moment of the night, freezing Soto on a 94 mph fastball for a called third strike to preserve the Atlanta lead. Lee earned the save, his third of the season.
Atlanta starter Spencer Schwellenbach was efficient and composed over seven innings, limiting the Mets to four hits and two earned runs while striking out four. The Mets’ bullpen held things down after Blackburn’s exit, with Grant Hartwig and Reed Garrett tossing 4.1 scoreless innings to keep the game close.
Offensively, the Mets stranded six runners and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position—a stat line that continues to haunt the team during this recent skid. The defensive lapse by Baty in the fourth was the only error of the game but proved pivotal.
As the team tries to stop the bleeding, they’ve made notable roster moves ahead of this Braves series. Both top prospects Luisangel Acuña and Francisco Álvarez were optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. Álvarez, who had shown flashes of offensive upside, notably hit a late homer in the Mets’ most recent win over the Phillies, but management opted to send him down for more reps behind the plate and at-bats in a less pressurized setting. Acuña, who had struggled at the plate during his call-up, will also look to reset in Syracuse.
With the Braves now inching closer in the division, New York will turn to Frankie Montas for Tuesday’s game, hoping to rebound against veteran Charlie Morton. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. at Citi Field.