Atlanta’s Max Fried and two relief pitchers worked together to keep the Mets hitless for 8 2/3 innings until J.D. Martinez hit a home run, spoiling the no-hit bid. Despite this, the Braves secured a 4-1 victory over the Mets on Saturday.
Fried pitched seven innings without allowing a hit, while Joe Jiménez pitched the eighth inning, navigating around two walks. Raisel Iglesias then retired the first two batters in the ninth inning. However, Martinez hit a home run just over the right field wall on the next pitch, breaking the no-hitter.
Iglesias walked Jeff McNeil and gave up an infield single to Harrison Bader but managed to retire Brett Baty on a fly to center field.
The last time the Braves pitched a no-hitter was on April 8, 1994, when Kent Mercker achieved the feat against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
This makes it one of the longest no-hitter droughts in the MLB. Since 1994, the Braves have been one of the top teams in terms of wins and earned run average (ERA). This period saw the likes of Hall of Famers Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, and John Smoltz pitching for the team.
During his seven innings, Fried walked three batters and threw 109 pitches, just one short of his career high. He retired the first eight batters he faced but then walked two consecutive batters in the third inning. After that, he retired 11 batters in a row before walking Pete Alonso with one out in the seventh inning.
