ATLANTA -- Both teams’ closers blew the save in the ninth inning Monday night at Truist Park, in a tight nail-biter that ended in a 7-6 Mets win.
“Our guys kept fighting,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “We had some opportunities earlier in the game, but we didn’t get the big one.”
Starter Reynaldo López breezed through five innings, and the defense preserved the Braves’ 3-2 lead in the final four innings until the Mets were down to their last out. But Juan Soto’s towering three-run homer down the right-field line off closer Raisel Iglesias’ 3-1 fastball on the inside edge put the Mets up 5-3.
“When we get to 3-1, you probably don’t want to get that much of the plate with the pitch,” Weiss said. “With first and third, you put the go-ahead run at second with [Bo] Bichette coming up? It’s a tough one.”
The blown save snapped Iglesias’ career-high and longest active MLB streak of 35 consecutive saves converted. His last blown save was almost one year ago -- July 26, 2025, in a 6-5 loss at Texas.
“When a guy’s converting that much, it’s easy to take things for granted,” first baseman Matt Olson said. “It’s going to happen to the best of them. He’s been great for us.”
But in the bottom half of the ninth, Ozzie Albies doubled off Mets closer Devin Williams to the wall in right-center field. Olson then swatted his 24th homer of the season and second of the game into the visitors' bullpen beyond the left-field wall, tying the game, 5-5.
“When you’re hitting line drives the other way, at least for me personally, that’s a good sign,” Olson said.
Although Drake Baldwin singled and pinch-runner Jorge Mateo later scampered to third on Austin Riley’s squibber of a groundout in front of home plate, pinch-hitter José Azócar then struck out on reliever Brooks Raley’s only three pitches of the game to send the game to the 10th.
“Even being on the losing side of it, you can find a silver lining,” Olson said. “To have a chance last at-bat yesterday and today being able to fight back and get that game into extras, you can find little wins in that even though you’re not winning the game and build off that.”
In the top of the 10th, Owen Murphy got two quick outs in his MLB debut and had Jared Young down 0-2, but he plunked Young. Once again on 0-2, Murphy couldn’t retire Luis Torrens, who doubled home Young and automatic runner Bichette for a 7-5 Mets lead. Murphy struck out Brett Baty for his first MLB punchout, but the damage was done.
“I thought Owen did a great job, being in a role that he’s never really been in, coming in the 'pen in the 10th with a guy starting on second,” Olson said. “I’m sure he had a lot of emotions going with the debut.”
Michael Harris II’s third hit scored automatic runner Azócar in the bottom half, a double toward the right-field corner on a 1-2 pitch -- one pitch after successfully challenging plate umpire Lance Barrett’s strike three call. He advanced to third after reliever Luke Weaver’s intentional walk of Olson and full-count walk of Mateo on a close check swing. With the bases loaded, Mauricio Dubón bounced to short for a game-ending fielder’s choice.
The Mets thus spoiled a strong start for López, who threw just 80 pitches over five innings, walked two, struck out five and allowed three hits. Carson Benge’s looping second-inning leadoff homer into the first row beyond the fence in left-center field was all the Mets could muster against López. It came on a 1-2 count after Benge fouled off multiple pitches to extend the at-bat.
“It always feels good to be able to do your job and at least put the team in a position to battle for the win, nice to rattle off two in a row like that,” López said through an interpreter. “I feel really good; my body feels good. What’s really helped my body not feel fatigued up to this point is just the routine I’ve been able to maintain whether I was a starter or reliever.”
This game was the longest Braves game in the pitch clock era at 3 hours, 42 minutes, eclipsing a June 8, 2023, walk-off 13-10 win -- also in 10 innings against the Mets.