Mets Rally Late To Defeat Braves In Extra-Innings Thriller

The New York Mets staged a dramatic comeback to beat the Atlanta Braves 6-5 in 10 innings Thursday night at Citi Field, snapping a three-game skid. Francisco Lindor delivered the walk-off single, capping a wild game that saw the Mets erase a 4-1 deficit in the eighth inning.

Thursday's game is trending nationally as it featured multiple lead changes, controversial umpire calls, and a benches-clearing incident in the seventh inning when Braves pitcher Spencer Strider hit Pete Alonso with a pitch. The Mets' victory moves them within 2.5 games of first-place Atlanta in the NL East standings.

Star shortstop Lindor went 3-for-5 with the game-winning RBI, while rookie pitcher Christian Scott impressed in his MLB debut with five strikeouts over 4.2 innings. The Braves' Ronald Acuña Jr. homered twice, including a 450-foot blast in the third inning.

The game drew attention for a disputed call in the ninth when umpires overturned what appeared to be a game-ending double play. MLB's replay center ruled Braves first baseman Matt Olson came off the bag, extending the inning and allowing the Mets to tie the game.

Fans flooded social media with reactions to the heated rivalry game, which lasted 3 hours and 42 minutes. The series continues Friday night with Kodai Senga scheduled to make his season debut for the Mets against Atlanta's Max Fried.

Thursday's attendance of 38,712 marked Citi Field's largest crowd this season. The Mets improved to 12-10 while the Braves fell to 14-8. New York's bullpen delivered 5.1 scoreless innings after starter José Quintana struggled early.

The game gained additional attention as it aired nationally on Apple TV+, with many viewers tuning in for the rivalry matchup. It was the first extra-innings game between the division rivals since September 2022.