Mets vs. Braves Live Score, Highlights & Key Moments: Can New York End Atlanta’s Hot Streak Tonight?

ATLANTA – The New York Mets wasted no time lighting up Truist Park on Monday night, plating five runs in the opening frame behind Brett Baty’s grand slam and never looking back in a 5-0 rout of the Atlanta Braves, trimming Atlanta’s NL East lead to 19½ games and nudging the season series to a 6-4 Mets edge. Game 2 of the three-game set is tonight (7:15 p.m. ET, MLB.TV) and shapes up as an intriguing righty-lefty duel: rookie Nolan McLean (8-7, 3.51 ERA) opposes veteran Martín Pérez (7-6, 3.14 ERA). McLean, whose high-octane fastball touched 99 mph in his last outing, seeks a bounce-back after yielding four runs to Pittsburgh, while Pérez has spun three straight quality starts and owns a 2.80 ERA at home. Key storylines to watch • Mets’ momentum: New York has won four of five, averaging 8.2 runs in that span. Bo Bichette (.263/11/59) and Juan Soto (21 HR) anchor an offense suddenly clicking with runners in scoring position. • Braves’ power outage: Atlanta has dropped three of four and was limited to two hits last night. Matt Olson (34 HR, 72 RBI) remains the chief threat, but Ronald Acuña Jr.’s lingering knee soreness has muted the top of the order. • Season series: The Mets clinch at least a split with one more win; the Braves need tonight and Wednesday to even things at 6-6 before the clubs meet for the final time in September. How to watch and stream • First pitch: 7:15 p.m. ET, Tue. Aug 11 • TV/Stream: MLB.TV out-of-market, SportsNet NY (NYM), Bally Sports South (ATL) • Radio: WCBS 880 (NY), 680 The Fan (ATL) Betting nuggets • Line: Braves -131 ML; O/U 8.5 runs • Trend: Atlanta is 39-20 at Truist Park, but New York is 8-5 as a road underdog since July 1. Why it matters Atlanta (71-47) still holds a comfortable division cushion, yet back-to-back losses could fuel doubts with staff ace Spencer Strider (elbow) sidelined until at least mid-September. For the Mets (52-67), every win is a step toward respectability and a potential spoiler role. A series victory in Atlanta would also send a message ahead of next month’s Citi Field rematch. Bottom line If McLean’s swing-and-miss stuff shows up and the Braves’ bats stay quiet, the Mets have a real shot at their first series win in Atlanta since 2023. But Pérez’s sinker-changeup combo has been stingy, and Truist Park is rarely forgiving to visiting pitchers. Expect a tense, playoff-style atmosphere as two longtime rivals continue their midsummer chess match in the heart of the NL East race.