ATLANTA – Ozzie Albies produced seven runs with five hits, including a pair of home runs, and the Atlanta Braves beat the New York Mets 20-2 on Wednesday night to end a month of disappointing results.
The Braves finished June 13-15. They are four and a half games behind the Mets in the NL East after enjoying an unusual offensive festival.
Mets left-hander David Peterson left the game with a sore right side in the fourth inning. Peterson (2-6) allowed six runs and eight hits, matching career best in both categories.
The Braves led 14-2 when outfielder Albert Almora came in to pitch the eighth inning with the bases loaded. Almora walked Ender Inciarte and hit Pablo Sandoval with a pitch, allowing two touchdowns.
Subsequently, he allowed a three-run home run to Albies, who set career-highs in hits, RBIs and runs scored with four. Albies hit three singles before hitting a two-run homer off Thomas Szapucki in the fifth inning.
Austin Riley produced three touchdowns on three hits, including a two-run single in the third inning that put the Braves ahead 4-2. Freddie Freeman had three hits and scored four times.
It is the fourth time in team history that the Mets have allowed at least 20 runs. They lost 26-7 at Philadelphia in 1985, 25-4 at Washington in 2018, and 23-5 again at Washington in 2017.
Braves left-hander Max Fried (5-4) bounced back after allowing a two-run homer to Pete Alonso. Fried came off the disabled list with a blister on the index finger of his left hand and gave up two touchdowns and three hits in five innings.
For the Braves, Cuban Guillermo Heredia 5-2 with two produced and one scored. Venezuelans Ronald Acuña Jr. 5-1 with one RBI and one scored; Ehire Adrianza 2-1 with two RBIs and one scored; Pablo Sandoval without an official turn, one pushed and one scored; Ender Inciarte without official turn, one pushed and one scored. Dominican Abraham Almonte 4-2 with one RBI and two runs scored.
For the Mets, Puerto Rican Francisco Lindor 2-0. Venezuelans Luis Guillorme 3-1; José Peraza 2-0.
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