Olson, Duvall Power Atlanta Braves To 4-1 Win

The Atlanta Braves and New York Mets met for game two of a three-game set at Truist Field on Tuesday night.

After dropping game one of their much-anticipated showdown with the New York Mets, the Atlanta Braves looked to bounce back and even the series at a game apiece.

The Braves sent Spencer Strider to the mound on Tuesday, as the rookie phenom looked to build upon dominant outings his last two times out against the Cardinals and Reds.  The Mets countered with David Peterson.  While tonight’s pitching matchup wasn’t as heralded as last night’s, both Strider and Peterson hung tough despite high pitch counts.

Strider wasn’t as dominant as his last couple of times out tonight.  A strange strike zone and a patient Mets team that does not strike out much would prove to be a much more challenging puzzle than the lineups that the young Braves righty faced against the Cardinals and Reds.

Strider gave up one run in four and two-thirds innings, throwing 103 pitches and striking out eight.  But up until that point the Braves had yet to figure out Peterson and Strider left the game on the wrong end of a 1-0 score.

After tallying only one run in the first 14 innings of this series the Braves’ bats came to life in the sixth inning and a pair of two-run home runs would be all the cushion the Braves’ bullpen would need to take the middle game of the series.

The Atlanta Braves came from behind to beat the New York Mets on Tuesday night, 4-1.

For the second straight, the Atlanta Braves would head into the sixth inning with a zero in the runs column.  But Matt Olson and Adam Duvall made sure that the offense would not stay silent for long.

Matt Olson turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.  After Dansby Swanson reached base with a one-out walk, Olson put the Braves ahead with a missile over the center-field wall.  Olson’s shot not only put the Braves in front but also ended the night for David Peterson, as Buck Showalter was on his way to the mound to make the pitching change before Olson was even finished rounding the bases.

After Colin McHugh worked a clean top of the seventh the Braves added to their lead.  Travis d’Arnaud led off the bottom half of the inning with a single and then Adam Duvall followed with a majestic moonshot deep into the left-field seats, providing the Braves with a 4-1 lead and some much-appreciated breathing room.

The Atlanta bullpen was fantastic tonight.  Tyler Matzek, Collin McHugh, and A.J. Minter covered four and two-thirds scoreless innings against the team the Braves are chasing in the NL East standings.  While yes, this is only July, this felt like an important game.

The win tonight keeps there from being any chance for the Mets to come into Atlanta and sweep the Braves.  It also puts the Braves in a spot where they can pull within one-half of a game of first place with a win tomorrow and gives them a realistic shot of entering the all-star break in sole possession of first place in the NL East.

The Braves and Mets will meet twelve more times this year and this is most likely a race that will go down to the wire.

So any win over the team you are chasing should be viewed as a big win, and that is exactly what the Braves secured tonight.

The Braves and Mets will wrap up this three-game set tomorrow when Charlie Morton and Chris Bassitt go to the mound for their respective clubs.  First pitch is scheduled for 12:20 pm EST.