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.