Mets Eclipse Braves 8-7 Behind Nimmo, Stewart

Once upon a time, the Braves were off to a good start. And then it was falling apart. DJ Stewart and Brandon Nimmo with the total eclipse of Braves fans’ hearts. Stewart hit a two-run, tie-breaking home run in the eighth inning and Nimmo hit two game-tying long balls to lead the New York Mets […]

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Once upon a time, the Braves were off to a good start. And then it was falling apart. DJ Stewart and Brandon Nimmo with the total eclipse of Braves fans’ hearts.

Stewart hit a two-run, tie-breaking home run in the eighth inning and Nimmo hit two game-tying long balls to lead the New York Mets (4-6) to a come-from-behind 8-7 victory over Atlanta (6-3) at Truist Park. The Mets have won four out of five after starting the season 0-5.

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Stewart was 0-for-12 on the season when he stepped to the plate in the eighth and homered off Pierce Johnson to break a 5-all tie. Nimmo tied the game at 4 with a three-run homer in the fifth and tied it again at 5 with a solo shot in the seventh. He added an RBI single in the eighth to give the Mets an 8-5 lead.

But Atlanta fought back, scoring single runs in the eighth and ninth.

With Edwin Díaz unavailable, Jorge Lopez pitched the stressful ninth, entering with a two-run lead.

Matt Olson led off with a double. Marcell Ozuna was then robbed of an extra-base hit when Tyrone Taylor made a leaping catch at the wall in left. Michael Harris II singled to right to score Olson to make it 8-7. Harris stole second to put the tying run in scoring position. Lopez got Orlando Arcia to pop up on the infield and Travis d’Arnaud to fly out to right to earn the save.

Tyrone Taylor protects the lead for the @Mets! pic.twitter.com/5EpAtgdHu3

— MLB (@MLB) April 9, 2024

Once upon a time, the starting pitchers were on their way to good starts. Before those too fell apart.

Julio Teheran, starting in place of the injured Tylor Megill, threw a pair of scoreless innings but was touched for four runs in the third. He surrendered a two-run double to Ozzie Albies and a two-run homer to Ozuna. A pair of singles later and Teheran’s night was done. He went 2 2/3, giving up the four earned runs on six hits and two walks while striking out three.

Charlie Morton threw three scoreless innings before Starling Marte singled in Pete Alonso in the fourth. Alonso scored from second with a headfirst slide that just beat the throw from Jarred Kelenic in left. Morton coughed up Nimmo’s first homer of the season, a 435-foot blast to right. He struggled through 5 2/3, giving up four earned runs on five hits and five walks.

With Edwin Diaz, Adam Ottavino and Brooks Raley not available tonight, the Mets really needed the bullpen tonight (for what seemed like forever) with Teheran exiting early.

Reed Garrett was excellent over 2 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out five. Making his Mets debut, Cole Sulser gave up an RBI double to d’Arnaud in his one inning of work. Jake Diekman entered in the seventh with a man on first and induced a 3-6-3 double play.

In the eighth, Drew Smith allowed a bases-loaded walk to Albies after getting ahead in the count 0-2. That pulled the Braves to within 8-6. But Smith got Austin Riley to ground to third with the bases loaded to end the threat.

“What a team win,” manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game.

Notes

Jeff McNeil went 1-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored on his 32nd birthday.

Brett Baty had three more hits tonight, and his average sits above .300.

Francisco Alvarez made a great defensive play on a pitch that got by him. He barehanded the carom off the brick wall behind the plate and threw out Olson at second.

Francisco Lindor went 0-for-4 and is hitting .075. He was also caught stealing.

It was the first time Kelenic faced the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2018. He was 0-for-3 with a walk, a run and three strikeouts.

The game took place on the 50th anniversary of Hank Aaron‘s record-setting 715th home run.

Key Stat of the Game

Five Mets relievers combined to fan nine over 6 1/3 innings.

Player of the Game

Brandon Nimmo found his power stroke. He was 4-for-4 with the two homers, five RBIs, a single and a walk. His batting average jumped 109 points to .212.

On Deck

Adrian Houser (0-0, 1.80) faces Reynaldo Lopez (0-0, 1.50) in the second game of this four-game set with Atlanta. SNY and MLB Network will air the game at 7:20 p.m. ET.

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