Mets trounce rival Braves with unrelenting offensive outburst
ATLANTA — The deep end of the pool may have been just what the Mets needed to prove they can swim.
Three games against everybody’s pick to win the NL East, two victories and a needed offensive awakening.
The Mets had plenty of reasons to like their situation as they departed Truist Park on Thursday following a 16-4 victory over the Braves.
There was the satisfaction of winning their first road trip, with four victories in six games, but mostly the Mets handled a nemesis that has caused so much torment over the years.
Included was the Braves winning 10 of 13 games against the Mets last season.
“They had our number last year and a lot of guys in this clubhouse remember that,” said DJ Stewart, who blasted his second homer of the series as part of the Mets’ 16-hit attack. “We play them a lot more, but this was a good start to see.”
On this day the Mets assembled their best performance over the first 12 games, jumping on Allan Winans early and never relenting.
Next stop is Citi Field for six games against the Royals and Pirates, both of whom have played at a surprisingly high level to begin the season.
Last weekend the Mets won two of three against the Reds, who could be a factor in the NL Central.
Thursday’s onslaught concluded with former Mets infielder Luis Guillorme on the mound for the Braves to record the final three outs.
But that wasn’t before Tyrone Taylor hit a pinch-hit grand slam.
The Mets, who had scuffled offensively over the first week-plus of the season, scored 29 runs in the three games.
“I thought from the first game of the series we had really good at-bats,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Even when we had the lead we kept putting together good at-bats. Overall throughout the lineup we did a very good job against a good team.”
Jose Quintana turned in the best start by a Mets pitcher in the series, allowing three earned runs on five hits over 5 ¹/₃ innings.
The left-hander opened the road trip by allowing one earned run over 5 ²/₃ innings in a no-decision against the Reds last Friday.
Brett Baty continued his recent surge with an RBI single in the first that gave the Mets their initial run.
Starling Marte walked in the inning and Pete Alonso delivered a two-out single before Baty went to the opposite field on an 0-2 fastball to bring in the run.
Brandon Nimmo’s double off Michael Harris II’s glove in center field extended the Mets’ lead to 2-0 in the second following Jeff McNeil’s leadoff walk.
Orlando Arcia booted Marte’s grounder for an error, allowing Nimmo to score the Mets’ third run.
McNeil finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and reached base four times.
After a slow start he is 5-for-13 (.385) over his past four games.
“The first week was a little tough for me, not really where I wanted to be,” McNeil said. “But I have just been working on some small things in the cage and I am seeing the results.”
The Mets broke it open in the third with four runs. Francisco Alvarez and McNeil stroked consecutive RBI doubles before Stewart cleared the right-field wall.
Stewart, whose blast on Monday brought in the go-ahead runs in the Mets’ 8-7 victory, has two hits this season, both of which are homers.
“I had a good idea what [Winans] likes to do,” Stewart said. “He actually surprised me in the first at-bat, but just sticking to our plan and he threw the pitch I was expecting [a changeup] and I put a good swing on it. I was happy to help.”
Quintana didn’t allow a hit until the fourth on Matt Olson’s two-out triple, but kept his shutout intact until the fifth when Chadwick Tromp delivered a two-run double that pulled the Braves within 7-2.
Chomp scored the inning’s third run on a wild pitch before Quintana escaped further damage by retiring Austin Riley.
The Mets loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh and added a run on Alvarez’s RBI fielder’s choice before McNeil’s two-run single extended the lead to 10-3.
All three runs in the inning were unearned following Riley’s fielding error.
The Mets piled on late, with Taylor’s grand slam against Guillorme accounting for much of the damage.
“Even though we got off to a homestand that was a struggle for us, the consistency, the preparation and continuing to have fun are there,” Mendoza said. “It’s still early but it’s important to start winning series, especially against two really good teams.”
