Olson hits 2 homers, Harris and Albies also go deep as Braves roll to 5-3 win over struggling Mets

ATLANTA (AP) — Matt Olson hit two home runs, Michael Harris II added a two-run shot, and Ozzie Albies also homered as the Atlanta Braves cranked up their power game to beat the New York Mets 5-3 on Friday night.

The Braves lead second-place Philadelphia in the NL East by three games despite entering the four-game series with a 5-14 record since June 9.

New York dropped 16 games under .500 for the first time since 2018. The most games under .500 for a team that reached the postseason was 16 by the 1914 Boston Braves at 12-28, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

The Braves reclaimed their power stroke with the four homers. They had not hit as many as three homers in a game since a 5-2 win at Cincinnati on May 30.

Ronald Acuña Jr., who has been out since June 10 with a left hamstring strain, had two of the homers in the May 30 game. The Braves' downturn has overlapped his time on the injured list.

Atlanta signed Andrew McCutchen to a minor league deal in their ongoing search for offense.

Juan Soto hit a two-run homer for the Mets.

Braves right-hander Grant Holmes (5-4) allowed five hits and two runs, one earned, in five innings. Raisel Iglesias gave up a run-scoring single to Bo Bichette in the ninth before earning his 17th save.

Mets right-hander Christian Scott (2-1) gave up three runs on two hits and four walks in four innings.

The Mets, in last place in the NL East, have lost 10 of 12.

Interim manager Andy Green tweaked his lineup. Carson Benge, who had been the leadoff hitter in every game since May 12, hit fifth and had one hit. A.J. Ewing was the leadoff hitter for the first time this season. Ewing reached on a fielding error by Olson at first base and scored on Soto's homer to left field in the third inning.

Atlanta's Chris Sale was scheduled to face New York's Sean Manaea (1-3, 4.71) in a matchup of left-handers Saturday night.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

New York Mets' Juan Soto (22) reacts in the dugout with a Spiderman mask after hitting a tying two-run home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Atlanta Braves pitcher Grant Holmes delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

New York Mets pitcher Christian Scott delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

New York Mets' Juan Soto watches his tying two-run home run in the third inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

Atlanta Braves' Michael Harris II (23) reacts with Dominic Smith, right, after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Luis García Jr. and Daylen Lile each homered twice, and José Tena also went deep for Washington as the Nationals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-5 on Friday night.

Foster Griffin (9-2) allowed a run and four hits in five innings, lowering his ERA to 2.87 for the Nationals. Washington has won five of six.

Bryan Reynolds homered for Pittsburgh. Mitch Keller (6-6) allowed five runs and eight hits in six innings.

The temperature at game time was 100 degrees, and the ball was certainly carrying. García opened the scoring in the first with his 17th homer of the season, a solo shot to right. An inning later, Lile hit a 417-foot drive to center to make it 2-0.

Reynolds' solo homer to center in the third went 426 feet to get the Pirates on the board, but after James Wood led off the bottom half with a triple, Tena hit a two-run shot — also to center — that went 434 feet.

Lile's RBI double later that inning made it 5-1.

García connected again in the seventh, hitting a two-run shot off reliever Isaac Mattson. Lile's second homer was a two-run drive in the eighth.

Brandon Lowe, Reynolds and Esmerlyn Valdez hit consecutive RBI doubles in the ninth for the Pirates, and Nick Gonzales added another one an out later.

Griffin improved to 5-0 in his last nine starts, with the Nationals going 8-1 in those games. He's allowed one run or fewer in six straight outings, although he had only two strikeouts Friday, his fewest since April 11.

Zack Littell (7-6, 5.29 ERA) starts for Washington against Pittsburgh's Braxton Ashcraft (8-3, 3.33) on Saturday in a July 4 game set to start at 11:05 a.m.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Washington Nationals starting pitcher Foster Griffin throws during the third inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Nationals' Daylen Lile runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Nationals second baseman Nasim Nuñez, front left, is late with the tag as Pittsburgh Pirates' Jake Mangum, second from right, steals second during the second inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)

Washington Nationals' Luis García Jr. is greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball gamea gainst the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)