Newly signed Francisco Cervelli had three hits and three RBIs in his Atlanta debut, and the Braves beat the New York Mets 9-5 on Saturday night for their seventh straight victory.
Ronald Acuña Jr. hit a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning, and Billy Hamilton dashed home with another run on the play thanks to a mental lapse by Mets left fielder J.D. Davis.
Freddie Freeman launched his career-high 35th home run in the ninth. Freeman, who began the day leading the majors in RBIs, increased his season total to 105.
New York Mets' Pete Alonso drops his bat after hitting a three-run home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, in New York. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)
Ozzie Albies and Josh Donaldson also went deep for the NL East leaders, each connecting on a solo shot in the third off starter Zack Wheeler. Atlanta improved to 10-3 this year against the Mets, who remained two games behind the Chicago Cubs for the second NL wild card.
Rookie slugger Pete Alonso matched a Mets record with his 41st home run, a three-run shot that put New York ahead 5-4 in the fifth after trailing 4-0. But third baseman Todd Frazier was unable to snag Cervelli's hard one-hopper in the sixth, a two-base error that led to Cervelli scoring the tying run on Rafael Ortega's single.
Cervelli, a veteran catcher released Thursday by Pittsburgh, signed with the Braves earlier in the day to help fill in with Brian McCann on the injured list.
Atlanta Braves' Charlie Culberson (8) celebrates with Rafael Ortega after scoring during the ninth inning of the team's baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, in New York. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)
Josh Tomlin (2-1) tossed two scoreless innings for the win.
Ortega sparked Atlanta's two-out rally in the eighth with a single against Brad Brach (4-4) that went off the glove of a leaping Jeff McNeil at second base. The speedy Hamilton, another Braves newcomer, followed with a pinch-hit single and scored from third when Davis held the ball after Acuña's single and then lobbed it back to the infield, drawing boos from the crowd of 38,300.
Atlanta starter Max Fried, handed a 4-0 lead and looking for his 15th win, allowed five runs and seven hits in five innings.
Atlanta Braves' Rafael Ortega scores past New York Mets catcher Wilson Ramos during the eighth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, in New York. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)
Wilson Ramos extended his hitting streak to 18 games for the Mets, the longest active streak in the majors.
ROOKIE POWER
Alonso became the first Mets player with 100 RBIs in a season since David Wright (103) in 2010. Alonso also is the first rookie to tie his team's home run record since Ralph Kiner did it for the Pirates with 23 in 1946, according to STATS. Todd Hundley (1996) and Carlos Beltran (2006) also hit 41 home runs in a season for the Mets.
New York Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler delivers against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 24, 2019, in New York. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)
TRAINER'S ROOM
Braves: Dansby Swanson (bruised right foot) was scheduled to play shortstop in his third rehab game at Class A Rome. ... LF-3B Austin Riley (right knee sprain) was set to play left field for the first time on his rehab assignment at Rome.
Mets: McNeil, the NL batting leader, was reinstated from the injured list. He missed 10 days with a strained left hamstring and returned on the first day he was eligible to come off the IL. With the score tied, he delivered a pinch-hit double on the first pitch he saw leading off the seventh but was thrown out trying to advance to third on a grounder to shortstop. McNeil remained in the game and singled in the ninth. ... Mets reliever Edwin Díaz, who gave up Freeman's homer, exited with an apparent injury. He walked off with a trainer to boos. ... Backup catcher Tomás Nido was placed on the seven-day injured list with a concussion and the club selected the contract of veteran catcher René Rivera from Triple-A Syracuse. Reserve outfielder Aaron Altherr was designated for assignment. ... OF Brandon Nimmo (neck) had a day off on his rehab assignment at Syracuse.
UP NEXT
LHP Dallas Keuchel (4-5, 4.14 ERA) tries to pitch the Braves to a three-game sweep Sunday afternoon. LHP Steven Matz (8-7, 4.18) goes for the Mets.
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