Alonso's 3 hits help Mets overcome loss of pitcher Canning in a 4-0 win over Braves

NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso had three hits and an RBI and the New York Mets overcame the loss of starting pitcher Griffin Canning to injury in the third inning Thursday night for a 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves and a split of the four-game series.

The Mets, who had lost 10 of 11 games before a 7-3 win over the Braves on Wednesday night, moved back into first place in the NL East, a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Canning worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings before suffering a left ankle injury on a non-contact play while trying to race off the mound. After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said it “looks like an Achilles injury.” The team said he would undergo imaging to determine the severity of the injury.

After Canning left, four relievers limited the Braves to two hits the rest of the way. Austin Warren (1-0) replaced Canning and threw 2 1/3 one-hit innings.

Tyrone Taylor lofted a sacrifice fly against Grant Holmes (4-7) in the fourth, and Alonso doubled the lead with a run-scoring hit in the fifth. Jeff McNeil added a two-run single in the seventh.

The Mets won while debuting their blue alternate uniforms with “New York” in script on the front.

Holmes allowed two runs and six hits while walking three and striking out six over five innings.

Canning’s injury may have created another vacancy in a depleted rotation for the Mets, who are already without ace Kodai Senga (right hamstring) as well as Tylor Megill (elbow) and Sean Manaea (oblique, elbow).

Braves first baseman Matt Olson played in his 700th straight regular-season game — the longest streak in the majors since Miguel Tejada’s 1,152-game streak from 2000-07. … The first pitch temperature was 69 degrees (20 Celsius), 28 degrees cooler than Tuesday’s Citi Field record.

LHP David Peterson (5-3, 2.98 ERA) starts for the Mets against Pittsburgh RHP Mitch Keller (1-10, 4.02) Friday night.

The Braves and RHP Bryce Elder (2-4, 4.77 ERA) host the Philadelphia Phillies and RHP Mick Abel (2-1, 3.47).

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Atlanta Braves' Grant Holmes pitches during the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Thursday, June 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets' Edwin Díaz pitches celebrates after a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Thursday, June 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets' Jeff McNeil (1) and Brett Baty (7) celebrate with teammates after a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Thursday, June 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets pitcher Griffin Canning is helped off the field by head athletic trainer Joseph Golia, right, and assistant athletic trainer Bryan Baca during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Thursday, June 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

New York Mets' Pete Alonso hits an RBI single during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves Thursday, June 26, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo blocked a shot by LeBron James and stole the ball from him on consecutive possessions in the final minute, and the Milwaukee Bucks blew a fourth-quarter lead before rallying for a 105-101 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night.

Kevin Porter Jr. scored 22 points, and he hit two free throws to break a tie after Antetokounmpo blocked a driving layup attempt by James with 39 seconds left.

Antetokounmpo then knocked the ball out of James' hands from behind with 2 seconds left, and Porter hit two more free throws to seal Milwaukee's fifth win in seven games — its first over a team with a winning record since Dec. 11. Antetokounmpo finished with 21 points in his lowest-scoring effort since returning from his right calf strain.

Luka Doncic had 24 points and nine assists on 8-of-25 shooting for the Lakers. He had his lowest-scoring performance since Christmas, and he fouled out on Porter's 3-point attempt with 16.2 seconds to play.

James had 26 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, but Antetokoumpo got the best of the top scorer in NBA history at crunch time. Los Angeles has lost six of 10.

Milwaukee surged to a double-digit lead in the first half even with Antetokounmpo on a minutes restriction in his injury return. Doncic scored 12 points in the third quarter but also committed four fouls in the period, including his fifth of the game.

Los Angeles abruptly erased its deficit by going on a 17-4 run to open the fourth, with James putting the Lakers ahead when he stole the ball from Antetokounmpo for a layup with 6:02 left. Milwaukee missed nine of its first 12 shots in the period, but Porter's layup tied it with two minutes left.

Lakers starters Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura remain sidelined by injury, but Hachimura (calf) might return early next week from his six-game absence, coach JJ Redick said.

Bucks: At Denver on Sunday.

Lakers: At Sacramento on Monday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart, left, tries to shoot as Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, and Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. go after a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)