ATLANTA (AP) — Jeff McNeil and Mark Vientos each hit two of New York's six home runs to back a steady pitching performance by Clay Holmes as the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 9-2 on Saturday night.
The Mets strengthened their hold on the final National League wild-card spot with their second straight win after losing 16 of 21 entering the series.
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Atlanta Braves pitcher Cal Quantrill throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Atlanta Braves' Nacho Alvarez Jr. (67) is tagged out by New York Mets catcher Hayden Senger (30) as he slides into home plate during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
New York Mets' Jeff McNeil reacts as he runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
New York Mets' Tyrone Taylor breaks his bat as he hits during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Holmes (11-6) allowed three hits and two runs in 6 1/3 innings to give New York consecutive starts of at least six innings. Rookie right-hander Nolan McLean allowed two runs in seven innings of Friday night's 12-7 win to become the first Mets starter besides David Peterson to last at least six innings since Holmes on June 7.
McNeil hit a three-run homer off Braves newcomer Cal Quantrill in the third. Pete Alonso added a two-run shot off Dylan Lee in the seventh.
Vientos and Starling Marte also connected off Lee in the inning. Vientos and McNeil hit back-to-back homers in the ninth.
Quantrill (4-11) allowed three runs on five hits and five walks in 4 2/3 innings before leaving with cramping in his calves. The right-hander was claimed off waivers from Miami on Thursday.
New York set a season high with four stolen bases, including two by Marte.
Marte caught a liner from Jurickson Profar in the third and fired a strong throw from left field to the plate. Mets catcher Hayden Senger caught Marte's throw on the fly and tagged out Nacho Alvarez Jr., who was trying to score from third.
Quantrill was Atlanta's 17th starting pitcher this season, the most in franchise history. The Chicago White Sox also have used 17 starting pitchers, matching the Braves for most in the majors.
LHP David Peterson (8-5, 3.18 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Mets on Sunday against Atlanta RHP Bryce Elder (5-9, 6.29).
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Atlanta Braves pitcher Cal Quantrill throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Atlanta Braves' Nacho Alvarez Jr. (67) is tagged out by New York Mets catcher Hayden Senger (30) as he slides into home plate during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
New York Mets pitcher Clay Holmes throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
New York Mets' Jeff McNeil reacts as he runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
New York Mets' Tyrone Taylor breaks his bat as he hits during the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Thailand (AP) — A construction crane collapsed onto an elevated road near Bangkok, killing two people on Thursday, a day after another crane fell on a moving passenger train in northeastern Thailand and killed 32 people.
The work on an extension of the Rama 2 Road expressway — a major artery leading from Bangkok — has become notorious for construction accidents, some of them fatal.
The crane collapsed at part of the road project in Samut Sakhon province, trapping two vehicles in the wreckage, according to the government’s Public Relations Department.
Transport Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said on Thai TV Channel 7 that two people had died. It was unclear if anyone else had been trapped in the wreckage.
There was uncertainty about the number of victims because the site is still considered too dangerous for search teams to enter, said Suchart Tongteng, a rescue worker with the Ruamkatanyu Foundation.
“At this moment, we still can’t say whether another collapse could happen,” he said, citing dangling steel plates. “That’s why there are no rescue personnel inside the scene, only teams conducting on-site safety assessments.”
At the site of Wednesday's train derailment, the search for survivors ended, Nakhon Ratchasima Gov. Anuphong Suksomnit said. Three passengers listed as missing were presumed to have gotten off the train earlier, but that was still being investigated.
Officials believed 171 people had been aboard the train’s three carriages, which were being removed from the scene Thursday.
The crane that fell, crushing part of the train, was a launching gantry crane, a mobile piece of equipment often used in building elevated roadways.
Police were still collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses and have not pressed charges, provincial Police Chief Narongsak Promta told reporters.
South Korea's Foreign Ministry reported a South Korean man in his late 30s, was among the dead.
The high-speed rail project where the accident occurred is associated with the plan to connect China with Southeast Asia under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative.
In August 2024, a railway tunnel on the planned route, also in Nakhon Ratchasima, collapsed, killing three workers.
Anan Phonimdaeng, acting governor of the State Railway of Thailand, said the project’s contractor is Italian-Thai Development, with a Chinese company responsible for design and construction supervision.
A statement posted on the website of the company, also known as Italthai, expressed condolences to the victims and said the company would pay compensation to the families of the dead and hospitalization expenses for the injured.
Transport Minister Phiphat said Italthai was also the lead contractor on the highway project where Thursday's accident took place, though several other companies are also involved.
The rail accident had already sparked outrage because Italthai was also the co-lead contractor for the State Audit Building in Bangkok that collapsed during construction last March during a major earthquake centered in Myanmar. The building's collapse was the worst quake damage in Thailand and about 100 people were killed.
Twenty-three individuals and companies have been indicted, including Italthai's president and the local director for the company China Railway No. 10, the project’s joint venture partner. The charges in the case include professional negligence and document forgery, and Thailand's Department of Special Investigation has recommended more indictments.
The involvement of Chinese companies in both projects has also drawn attention, as has Italthai and Chinese companies’ involvement in the construction of several expressway extensions in and around Bangkok where several accidents, some fatal, have occurred.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Wednesday the government was aware of the rail accident and had expressed condolences.
Associated Press writers Wasamon Audjarint in Bangkok and Hyung-jin Kim in Seoul, South Korea, contributed to this report.
Relatives of victims and others wait at a hospital, a day after a construction crane fell into a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Relatives wait at a hospital to receive bodies of victims, a day after a construction crane fell into a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, Thursday, Jan.15, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Forensic workers inspect the site of a train accident, a day after a construction crane fell into a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
A cuddly toy lies on the ground at the site of a train accident, a day after a construction crane fell into a passenger train in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
A construction crane that collapsed on the Rama 2 Road elevated expressway in Samut Sakhon province, Thailand on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Arnun Chonmahatrakool)
A construction crane that collapsed on the Rama 2 Road elevated expressway in Samut Sakhon province, Thailand on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Arnun Chonmahatrakool)
A construction crane that collapsed on the Rama 2 Road elevated expressway in Samut Sakhon province, Thailand on Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Arnun Chonmahatrakool)
