Braves Defeat Mets 4-3, Ending Hopes for Sweep

ATLANTA – After a couple of explosive offensive days, it seemed like the Mets might keep the momentum going when Mark Vientos hit his second home run on Sunday. They briefly held a two-run lead, feeling pretty confident, but things took a turn, and the opportunity for a sweep slipped away over the next seven innings.

Ultimately, the Mets fell to the Braves 4-3 at Trust Park, finishing their road trip at .500. They had some struggles against the NL East, alongside the Nationals. Now they’ll face the Phillies in a three-game series at Citi Field, who are currently leading the Mets by seven games.

Gregory Soto, who hadn’t allowed a run in his first ten relief appearances with the Mets, played a significant role, particularly with Jurickson Profar’s clutch two-run single in the eighth, which put the Braves ahead. Soto helped pinch hitter Vidal Brujan score, and Profar’s hit loaded the bases for the Braves with two outs.

While the Mets won the initial two games of this series in impressive style, scoring 21 runs, their offensive power seemed to vanish, especially after launching six home runs previously.

Juan Soto’s RBI single in the ninth brought the Mets back to within one run, yet Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil both struck out in succession, leaving the Mets with a total of nine hits on the day but failing to convert them into more runs.

David Peterson struggled on the mound, unable to finish six innings after the Braves tied the game 2-2. Overall, he pitched 5²/₃ innings, giving up a couple of runs, five hits, eight strikeouts, and four walks. This marked the first in a trio of games where a Mets pitcher didn’t manage to complete at least six innings, while Nolan McLean and Clay Holmes had solid outings earlier in the series.

Peterson encountered challenges early, but managed to retire Marcel Ozuna and Ozzie Albies after giving up a single to Ronald Acuña Jr. Vientos, hitting his fifth home run in seven games, propelled the Mets to a 2-0 lead with a powerful shot after McNeil walked, clearing the left-field fence on a 3-1 slider.

However, the Braves struck back, as Peterson walked Nacho Alvarez Jr. with two outs, which set the stage for Sean Murphy’s two-run single that tied the game. Brooks Raley stepped in to get the final out after loading the bases during the Braves’ rally, which started with a walk to Ozuna.

Cedric Mullins, Francisco Lindor, and Juan Soto each had two walks in a threatening seventh inning, but lefty pitcher Dylan Lee managed to retire Alonso, curbing the Mets’ hopes. In the eighth, McNeil reached second base on a wild pitch with two outs, but Ronnie Mauricio couldn’t bring him home, ending the game without a further challenge.