Mets take series from Braves with 6 homers, quality start by Clay Holmes

Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News on Aug 23, 2025

Published in Baseball

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ATLANTA — One series win is hardly enough to determine whether or not the Mets are fixed, especially since that win came against the NL East’s fourth-place team, but the fact that it came in Atlanta does say something.

Clay Holmes recorded his first quality start since June 7, and the Mets smashed four home runs in an 9-2 win over the Braves on Saturday night at Truist Park, three of which came in the seventh inning to turn a one-run lead into a five-run lead. Jeff McNeil, Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos and Starling Marte all hammered homers. Vientos hit two, and so did McNeil, whose three-run shot in the third gave the Mets a lead they’d never relinquish.

Finally, the Mets (69-60) were able to take advantage of a team out of the running to pick up some wins. Doing so on the road in a place where they’ve historically played poorly made even more of a statement.

McNeil’s three-run shot in the top of the third gave the Mets an early 3-0 lead. The second baseman teed off on the first pitch he saw from right-hander Cal Quantrill (0-1), sending it 420 feet into the right field stands. It was the second-longest home run of his career, and it came after he had the last two days off to deal with a sore right shoulder.

The 2022 NL batting champ has transformed into a slugger this season. He’s homered three times and driven in eight runs through five games of the Mets’ six-game trip, and he’s only played in three of them. His 11th homer of the season gave Holmes some breathing room to work with.

Holmes has thrown far more innings than he has in any previous year of his career, but he seemed to hit a wall after about 80. The Mets doubled down on their confidence in the converted reliever at the trade deadline, but he didn’t exactly repay them for it right away. The last time he faced the Braves (58-71), he couldn’t even make it through four innings.

This time around, Holmes pitched into the seventh. He gave up two in the top of the fourth, but stranded the tying run on second. The right-hander retired eight straight before Drake Baldwin hit a single, prompting the Mets to go to the bullpen.

It was the kind of start the Mets expected from Holmes, who limited the Braves to two earned runs on three hits, walked two and struck out four in the win (11-6). He had help from the defense, but that’s why those other eight guys are on the field.

The homer fest began in the top of the seventh against left-hander Dylan Lee. Juan Soto walked to lead off, and Pete Alonso hit No. 29 on the season to give the Mets a 5-2 lead. Then Vientos hit one. With one out, Marte hit one, capping a monster game in which the outfielder went 3 for 3 with a home run, a walk, two stolen bases and a putout at home.

Vientos hit his second in the top of the ninth off left-hander Austin Cox, and McNeil followed with another of his own.

The statement is this: Don’t count the Mets out just yet. They remain in second place in the NL East behind the Philadelphia Phillies, and in third place in the NL wild-card standings, now 2.5 games up on the Cincinnati Reds.