Six-run sixth inning brings doom to the Mets

Atlanta

Ozzie Albies watched the ball sail into the right-field seats and savored the moment.

"It feels great," he said. "I just see the ball going and I just enjoyed it."

Albies hit a grand slam and Freddie Freeman homered during a six-run sixth, and the Atlanta Braves beat the reeling New York Mets 8-2 on Tuesday.

Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz pitched five scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out six, but left the game after batting in the fifth with triceps tightness. He told reporters that "it's nothing to worry about" and that he'll make his next scheduled start.

Ender Inciarte added a pair of RBI singles to help Atlanta shake a rough West Coast trip, when it lost four of six. The Braves moved ahead of Washington for first in the NL East by beating a Mets team that has lost nine of 10 and 16 of 20

The Braves led 1-0 in the fourth on Inciarte's RBI single. New York went up 2-1 in the sixth on Jay Bruce's two-run ground-rule double, but that was it for the Mets, who have scored 10 runs in their last 78 innings.

Freeman's 13th homer in the bottom half of the inning tied it, and Inciarte's single put the Braves ahead for good. A walk to pinch-hitter Preston Tucker loaded the bases and chased starter Zack Wheeler (2-5), and Albies cleared the bases with his 16th homer, coming off Paul Sewald, for a 7-2 lead.

Albies is the first player 21 or younger to hit multiple grand slams in a season since Adrian Beltre hit two for the Dodgers in 2000. He's the second Braves second baseman with two grand slams in a season, joining Davey Johnson in 1973.

Albies, the NL leader in extra-base hits and runs, had been scuffling with a .125 average since June 1.

"The last two games he's had some really good at-bats," Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. "You know what he's capable of. He's a dynamic young man."

Shane Carle (4-1) faced just one batter to get the win. Devin Mesoraco grounded to third baseman Johan Camargo, who tagged out Asdrubal Cabrera and made the throw to first for a double play.

Wheeler allowed eight hits, six runs, four walks and struck out two in 52/3 innings.

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Mickey Callaway was ejected for the first time as Mets manager after arguing with home plate umpire Stu Scheurwater in the top of the sixth. Brandon Nimmo was hit by Jesse Biddle's pitch on his elbow, but Scheurwater ruled he did not attempt to get out of the way and declined to award Nimmo first base. Callaway was thrown out while standing near the right-hand side of the batter's box. "Obviously they thought Nim put his elbow out in front of the plate to get hit on purpose, but the ball was in the batter's box, kind of at our player," Callaway said.