Atlanta (AP) On Wednesday night, the Atlanta Braves handed the New York Mets their season-high fifth consecutive loss, 5-0, with Matt Olson and Ronald Acua Jr. hitting home runs and Chris Sale going 8 2/3 innings, narrowly missing his first shutout since 2019.
Sale (5-4) gave up one walk and five hits. He did not let a runner get beyond second base and struck out seven. After throwing 116 pitches, he was replaced by Raisel Iglesias, who ended the game with a groundout.
Sale has a 0.86 ERA in his previous six starts and has allowed four runs in his last 41 2/3 innings.
In the seventh inning, Olson launched his 15th home run of the year. Ozzie Albies had a double and a triple, making him 2 for 3. Albies was down briefly in the sixth inning after being struck in the right knee by a pitch while swinging at a third strike, but he continued to play.
Jeff McNeil, the second baseman for the Mets, went one for three and increased his major league-long on-base streak to 20 games. In 3 2/3 innings, Paul Blackburn (0-1) allowed four runs (three earned) on four hits and two walks.
Key moment
In the first, a catcher’s interference call gave the Braves a 2-0 lead. When catcher Luis Torrens of the Mets rushed to catch the loose ball after blocking a pitch with a runner on third, he swept it into his glove with his mask in his right hand. The run was able to score because of the catcher’s error and interference.
Key stat
In the first inning, Acu hit a 419-foot home drive to center, his second this season and his 36th career leadoff home run.
Up next
On Thursday, Atlanta RHP Spencer Strider (1-5, 4.35 ERA) will face RHP Clay Holmes (7-3, 2.87) to conclude the three-game series against the Mets.
