Juan Soto hits two home runs to help Mets finally beat the Braves

Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News on Jun 25, 2025

Published in Baseball

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NEW YORK — Last week, Chris Sale fractured a rib making a diving catch in a brilliant performance in which he came one out shy of throwing a complete-game shutout. This week, the Mets knocked his replacement out of a game in the fourth inning.

A five-run fourth inning and two home runs by Juan Soto led the Mets over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday night, 7-3. Finally, the Mets managed to outplay the one NL East rival that always seems to have their number.

After five straight losses to the Braves (37-42) in the last week, the Mets (47-36) finally snapped the streak to give themselves a chance to split the series.

Ronny Mauricio went 3 for 4 with a home run and two runs scored, Jeff McNeil went 2 for 4 with a double and a run scored, Brett Baty went 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI, and Soto hit two shots, one in the fourth and one in the seventh off left-hander Austin Cox. It was his fourth multi-homer game of the season and the 27th of his career, passing Jimmie Foxx for the most games with two or more home runs before the age of 27.

Soto’s 18th home run of the year broke a 1-1 tie in the fourth and proved to be a catalyst for a rally. Didier Fuentes (0-2), a 20-year-old rookie out of Colombia called up over the weekend, threw only one pitch to Soto in the at-bat, and it was the wrong one — an inside fastball. Naturally, Soto turned on it, sending it 413 feet over the center-field fence.

Pete Alonso then reached on a hit-by-pitch and Jeff McNeil doubled to left to put runners on second and third. A fly ball by Starling Marte scored Alonso and McNeil tagged up at third. There were no big hits from there, but a series of singles and some advantageous baserunning. Nos. 7-9 hitters Baty, Mauricio and catcher Hayden Senger each hit singles off Fuentes, chasing him from the game.

Facing left-hander Aaron Bummer, Francisco Lindor scored one on a sacrifice fly to make it 5-1, before Brandon Nimmo made it 6-1 with a single off Bummer.

Clay Holmes (8-4) wasn’t exactly pitch-efficient with five walks, using 96 pitches over only five innings, but he limited the Braves to only one run on three hits, and struck out two. McNeil made a highlight-reel catch in the first inning to rob Marcell Ozuna of extra bases, scaling the wall in center field, and giving Holmes an early boost.

The Mets had to go to the bullpen after five, but with a five-run lead, it lessened the blow. After Jonathan Pintaro gave up two earned runs in the ninth in his big league debut, closer Edwin Diaz came in for the four-pitch save. Pintaro was called up from Double-A Binghamton on Wednesday afternoon to provide length out of the bullpen.

Let’s not say the slump has been busted just yet. After all, the Mets lost three straight after stomping on the Philadelphia Phillies, 10-4, on Saturday to snap a seven-game losing streak. This win was a good step in the right direction with the pitching, hitting and defense all lining up in a way that it hasn’t very often as of late.