Braves Overcome Injury to López, Defeat Mets 9-2

NEW YORK (AP) — The Atlanta Braves showcased their offensive prowess on Sunday, defeating the New York Mets 9-2, despite the early exit of All-Star starter Reynaldo López due to right forearm tightness. Matt Olson made headlines by homering in consecutive games for the first time this season, contributing significantly to the Braves' victory. Alongside Olson, Austin Riley, Orlando Arcia, and Ramón Laureano also hit home runs, helping the Braves salvage a split in the four-game series after losing the first two matchups. López, who had pitched three shutout innings and lowered his major league-leading ERA to 2.06, left the game as a precautionary measure. Braves manager Brian Snitker expressed relief that López reported the tightness, emphasizing the importance of player safety. The pitcher received a warm ovation from the Citi Field crowd before striking out as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning. Olson's performance was particularly notable, as he hit his fourth home run off the Mets' left-hander in just 15 at-bats. Arcia contributed with a bases-loaded walk and a solo homer in the seventh inning, while Riley added a two-run shot off Ryne Stanek, who was making his Mets debut. Laureano capped off the scoring with a two-run drive in the eighth, bringing the score to 9-0. In injury updates, Braves' LHP Max Fried participated in long toss and is eligible to return from the injured list soon, while other pitchers are also progressing in their rehab assignments.