BY BILL TROCCHI
ATLANTA (AP) — Chris Sale went 8 2/3 innings just missing his first shutout since 2019, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson hit home runs, and the Atlanta Braves handed the New York Mets their season-high fifth straight loss, 5-0 on Wednesday night.
Sale (5-4) allowed five hits and one walk. He struck out seven and did not allow a runner past second base. He threw 116 pitches before giving way to Raisel Iglesias, who got a groundout to end the game.
Sale has given up four runs in his last 41 2/3 innings for a 0.86 ERA in his last six starts.
Olson hit his 15th home run of the season in the seventh inning. Ozzie Albies was 2 for 3 with a double and a triple. Albies was hit in the right knee with a pitch while swinging at a third strike and went down for a few moments in the sixth inning, but stayed in the game.
Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil was 1 for 3 and extended his on-base streak to 20 games, the longest in the majors. Paul Blackburn (0-1) gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits with two walks in 3 2/3 innings.
Key moment
The Braves pushed their lead to 2-0 in the first on a catcher’s interference call. Mets catcher Luis Torrens blocked a pitch with a runner on third, and when he went to corral the loose ball, he used his mask in his right hand to sweep it into his glove. The ruling was catcher’s interference and an error, allowing the run to score.
Key stat
Acuña’s 419-foot homer to center in the first inning was the 36th leadoff home run of his career and second this season.
Up next
Atlanta RHP Spencer Strider (1-5, 4.35 ERA) will wrap up the three-game series with the Mets opposite RHP Clay Holmes (7-3, 2.87) on Thursday.
