ATLANTA — The deep end of the pool may have been just what the Mets needed to prove they can swim.
They played three games against the team everyone had chosen to win the National League East, winning two and achieving a much-needed offensive awakening.
There were plenty of reasons to like the way things were going when the Mets left Trust Park on Thursday after a 16-4 win over the Braves.
There was some satisfaction in winning four of six games on their first road trip, but primarily the Mets were dealing with a nemesis that had caused them so much pain over the years.
On this day, the Mets had their best performance in the first 12 games, jumping on Alan Winans early and never relenting.
Next stop is Citi Field for six games against the Royals and Pirates, both of whom have been playing at a surprisingly high level since the start of the season.
Thursday’s onslaught ended with former Mets infielder Luis Guillaume taking the mound for the Braves and recording the final three outs.
But that was before Tyrone Taylor hit the pinch-hitting grand slam.
Jose Quintana had the best start of the series by a Mets pitcher, allowing three earned runs on five hits in 5 1/3 innings.
The left-handed pitcher opened the road trip with a no-hitter against the Reds last Friday, allowing one earned run in 5 2/3 innings.
Brett Batty continued his recent good form with an RBI in the first inning that gave the Mets the lead.
After Starling Marte gave up a walk in the first inning and Pete Alonso hit a double, Batty went to the opposite field with an 0-for-2 fastball and scored.
In the second inning following Jeff McNeil’s leadoff walk, Brandon Nimmo flipped off the glove of center fielder Michael Harris II to extend the Mets’ lead to 2-0.
Orlando Arcia kicked Marte’s error grounder and Nimmo allowed the Mets’ third goal.
The Mets scored four more runs in the third inning to break up the game.
Francisco Alvarez and McNeil hit back-to-back RBI doubles, and DJ Stewart hit his second home run of the series over the right-field wall.
Stewart, whose blowout on Monday provided the go-ahead hit in the Mets’ 8-7 win, has two hits this season, both home runs.
Quintana didn’t allow a hit until Matt Olson’s two-out triple in the fourth, but the shutout remained until fifth man Chadwick Tromp hit a two-run double to give the Braves a 7-2 lead.
After Tromp scored his third run of the inning on a wild pitch, Quintana retired Austin Riley to avoid further damage.
With the bases loaded and the bases empty in the seventh inning, the Mets added one run on Alvarez’s fielder’s choice RBI, then McNeil’s two-run run extended their lead to 10-3.
All three points in this inning were unearned runs due to Riley’s defensive mistakes.
