Rookie pitcher Zac Thornton continued his impressive start to the season, earning his second consecutive win as the New York Mets dominated the Atlanta Braves 14-3 on Monday night at Citi Field. The Mets offense also came alive, amassing 19 hits and scoring nine runs in the final two innings to secure the team's second straight victory over a first-place opponent and their first back-to-back wins since early July.
Thornton (2-1, 2.43 ERA) pitched into the seventh inning, allowing three runs on six hits and one walk while striking out five. Though his streak of 18 consecutive scoreless innings was broken in the first inning, the 24-year-old left-hander received a standing ovation as he exited the game in the rain.
"He has attacked the zone the way he does. He has gotten pitches chased at the right time. He’s missed barrels and gotten on handles. That doesn’t surprise me," said Mets interim manager Andy Green of Thornton's performance. "Process-wise, he has done what we expected him to be. Results-wise, he’s had a good run."
Despite surrendering a run in the first inning, Thornton settled down, allowing just three more hits over his final 5 1/3 innings. Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor provided early support, tripling home a run in the first inning and later hitting a two-run home run in the third that gave the Mets a 3-1 lead.
The Braves briefly tied the game in the fourth inning with a two-run homer, but the Mets quickly regained the lead in the sixth inning when Marcus Semien hit a two-run home run. Tyrone Taylor extended the lead with a three-run blast in the seventh, and Lindor capped off a five-run eighth inning with his second three-run homer of the game, marking his 23rd career multi-homer performance.