Bo Bichette Powers Mets to Victory Over Braves with Grand Slam and Six RBIs

NEW YORK (AP) — Bo Bichette delivered a stellar performance on Friday night, hitting a grand slam and a solo home run, contributing to a total of six RBIs that propelled the New York Mets to a 7-5 triumph over the Atlanta Braves, the top team in Major League Baseball.

This marked the second time in his career that Bichette has driven in six runs in a single game, with his previous occurrence dating back to August 4, 2025, when he played for the Toronto Blue Jays. He made his impact felt early, launching a 383-foot solo home run in the first inning, followed by a 341-foot grand slam in the second against Braves pitcher Spencer Strider (4-2), who exited the game after experiencing right arm discomfort following one batter in the fourth inning.

Bichette's offensive display included his seventh home run of the season and was complemented by Juan Soto’s solo shot in the first inning. In the fourth inning, he added to his tally with a sacrifice fly that brought in another run. Cionel Perez (3-3), the first of four Mets relievers, earned the win after allowing just one run over 1 1/3 innings of work. Nolan McLean, who started the game, struck out six but struggled with command, giving up two runs and walking four in four innings.

The Braves, who have dropped three consecutive games, saw contributions from Dominic Smith, Mike Yastrzemski, and Ozzie Albies with RBI singles, while Matt Olson recorded a home run. Atlanta continues to lead the NL East and holds the best record in baseball at 45-24. Strider’s performance was notably below par, as he allowed a season-high seven runs and recorded three strikeouts, with his fastball velocity dipping into the 87-88 mph range during the game.

Rain delayed the start of the match by 76 minutes. Looking ahead, the Braves will send left-hander Martín Pérez (4-3, 3.02 ERA) to the mound on Saturday, while the Mets have yet to announce their starting pitcher.