Atlanta — Nolan McLean pitched six strong innings, allowing only one hit and one run, but the New York Mets' offense struggled, falling 4-0 to the Braves on Tuesday night at Truist Park. This marks the Mets' second loss in their last eight games.
McLean, a rookie right-hander, surrendered a solo home run to Ozzie Albies in the fifth inning, which proved to be the game's only significant scoring play against him. Over his six innings, McLean recorded three strikeouts and two walks, extending his season workload to a career-high 136 ²/₃ innings. This outing was a rebound from his previous start last Thursday in Cleveland, where he gave up five earned runs in five innings.
Prior to Tuesday's game, the Mets had been averaging 7.1 runs over their previous seven contests. However, they were stifled by Braves lefty Martín Pérez, who pitched six scoreless innings, allowing four hits and three walks on 82 pitches. Pérez extended his personal scoreless streak to 18 innings.
The Braves extended their lead in the seventh inning. Jefry Yan relieved McLean and walked Matt Olson and Albies. Albies advanced on a sacrifice fly by Mauricio Dubón, scoring to make it 2-0. Yan was removed with two outs after walking Lane Thomas.
In the eighth inning, Chayce McDermott gave up a two-run home run to Matt Olson, his 35th of the season, sealing the 4-0 victory for the Braves. Olson's home run ties him for the major league lead with Kyle Schwarber and Yordan Alvarez.
Despite the offensive struggles, McLean's performance offered a positive sign for the Mets. Last year, he combined for 113 ²/₃ innings pitched in the minor and major leagues. His ability to maintain effectiveness in August, often considered a challenging part of the season for pitchers, suggests continued development. The Mets' inability to capitalize on opportunities, including stranding runners on base with one out in the fourth inning before a double play ended the threat, proved costly against the Braves' solid pitching.