TAKEAWAYS: Braves Use Big Inning and Quality Start from Reynaldo López to Beat Mets

The Atlanta Braves have beat the New York Mets to even the series at one game each

Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr stole three bases on Tuesday night against the New York Mets / Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves used a big inning on offense and a quality outing from starter Reynaldo López to take down the New York Mets 6-5 inside a wet and drizzly Truist Park on Tuesday night.

Here’s what you need to know about from the contest:

Atlanta, once again, got their big inning

The Braves had two offensive patterns last season that repeatedly played out on their way to league-leading run production in 2023, and we saw both of them on display tonight. 

The first was scoring early: Atlanta held a 1-0 lead four pitches into this game after Ronald Acuña Jr. got on base via HBP, stole 2nd (and advanced to third on a throwing error by catcher Omar Narvaez), and then scored on an Ozzie Albies base hit. 

The other theme, though, was a big inning on offense putting a crooked letter on the board and staking the Braves to a lead big enough to change the dynamic of the game from that point forward. 

Enter the bottom of the third inning. Atlanta sent eight batters to the plate, scoring four runs on six consecutive singles. It’s not the homer barrage that Braves fans got used to last season, but Atlnata’s offense was able to keep the line moving and consistently get runners in to score. Of the eight balls Atlanta put into play that inning, the softest was 94.5 mph and six of them were over 100 mph exit velocity.  

Atlanta finished the game with six runs on eleven hits, and did it with only one extra-base hit, an Ozzie Albies double. Noteworthy performances include Ronald Acuña Jr, who went 2 for 3 with three runs and three stolen bases and the duo of Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies, who both picked up two hits with a run and two RBIs each. 

Reynaldo López can flat out PITCH

We’ve seen teams try to convert their relievers into starters to...questionable results. (Looking at you, Miami Marlins - put A.J. Puk back in the bullpen already.) 

But Reynaldo López is handling the assignment with aplomb. He’s not perfect, mind you - he did give up three hits in this one - but he’s now put up two consecutive quality starts in his first two outings of 2024. Statistically, López has been the team’s best starter, which I don’t think anyone saw coming.

What impresses me the most is how he’s been able to not only successfully dial back the velocity to make it through an entire outing, with his fastball sitting only 95 mph after averaging around 98 as a reliever last season, but how he can ramp it back up and grab a little more when he needs it. 

The final line for López was six scoreless innings with three hits, three walks, and six strikeouts. On the season, he’s pitched twelve innings with only one run allowed, giving up seven hits and five walks while striking out eleven. 

Rainaldo 🌧️#BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/av7ZUKfwX6

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 10, 2024

Ronald Acuña Jr. finally got going...kind of  

The reigning NL MVP has had a quiet start to his season - 8-36 with two doubles, nine runs to four RBIs, and one stolen base. He was actually the only Braves regular that didn’t have a barrel entering tonight. 

While Acuña didn’t go yard tonight, he looked more like the Ronald Acuña Jr that ran away with the MVP award last season, going 2-2 with three runs scored and three stolen bases. Two of the stolen bases came in the same Ozzie Albies at-bat in the 4th inning. 

Different 🔥@ronaldacunajr24 | #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/OcmH2GN3nP

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) April 10, 2024

 

What’s next for the Atlanta Braves?

Atlanta’s back in action on Wednesday evening, looking to take a lead against New York in the series. The pitching matchup is recent call-up Allan Winans vs José Quintana, with first pitch scheduled, weather permitting, for 7:20 PM ET.