Braves unleash 5 homers in a 14-3 rout of the Mets as Chris Sale earns win

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Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale delivers to a New York Mets batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)

Atlanta Braves second baseman Ozzie Albies, front right, tags out New York Mets' Juan Soto (22) to complete a double play during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser) — Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale delivers to a New York Mets batter during the first inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Erik S. Lesser)

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10:28 PM on Saturday, July 4

By BILL TROCCHI

ATLANTA (AP) — Michael Harris II had three hits, including one of five Braves home runs, as Atlanta gave Chris Sale plenty of support in a 14-3 blowout over the New York Mets on Saturday night.

Eli White, Mauricio Dubón, Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Riley also homered for Atlanta, which hit four home runs off Mets pitching in a 5-3 win on Friday night.

Harris drove in two runs. White had four RBIs, Riley had three and Dubón and Yastrzemski had two each.

Sale (9-6), who was named an All-Star for the 10th time just before the game, gave up three runs on seven hits, including two home runs, and he matched a season-low with three strikeouts. Rookie JR Ritchie picked up his first save after throwing three scoreless innings to close the game.

The last-place Mets have lost 12 of their last 14 and have dropped to 36-53. No team has ever reached the postseason from 17 games under .500, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Sale was cruising until, with two outs in the fourth, he gave up a home run to Tyrone Taylor to end his major league-best (among starting pitchers) 46-inning homerless streak. In the fifth, he gave up a two-run homer to Mark Vientos and allowed the next two batters to reach before being pulled after 98 pitches.

Sean Manaea (1-4) took the loss, giving up six runs on six hits in five innings.

White's solo home run into the Mets' bullpen in the second inning gave the Braves a 1-0 lead, and his three-run double in the third broke the game open. With two outs, White hit a soft pop-up to center field. Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and center fielder Taylor converged, and the ball bounced off Taylor's glove as he was trying to avoid Lindor. The play gave the Braves a 5-1 lead.

Mets right fielder Carson Benge extended his on-base streak to 16 games, and Lindor was 2 for 3.

Up next

Braves LHP Martin Perez (6-5, 3.27 ERA) will oppose Mets RHP Nolan McLean (5-5, 3.78) in the third game of the four-game series Sunday.

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