Ronald Acuña Jr. scored three times and stole three bases, while Reynaldo López had an impressive six innings in his first home start for Atlanta. The Braves managed to hold off the New York Mets with a 6-5 win on Tuesday night.
The Braves had a comfortable 6-0 lead until Pete Alonso’s three-run homer off Tyler Matzek in the eighth inning narrowed the gap. In the ninth, Braves closer Raisel Iglesias allowed two runs, including a run-scoring double by Omar Narváez, but still secured his second save by striking out Alonso with a runner on base.
López, who secured the No. 5 spot in Atlanta’s rotation after signing a $30 million, three-year contract, showcased his skills with a 0.75 ERA through two starts. He struck out six batters while conceding three hits and three walks against the Mets.
Acuña contributed with two hits, including one in the third inning, that sparked a three-run rally for the Braves. He stole both second and third base after drawing a walk in the fourth inning. Despite not hitting a home run yet this season, Acuña remains optimistic, acknowledging that it’s a long season ahead.
Mets pitcher Adrian Houser, who had hit only one batter with a pitch in the previous season, hit two Atlanta hitters in the first two innings. His early struggles allowed the Braves to build a lead, as he conceded five runs in five innings.
On the other hand, Mets pitcher Dedniel Núñez had a solid major league debut, allowing just one run over two innings after being called up from Triple-A Syracuse before the game.
