Schwellenbach strikes out 11 and Braves hit three home runs to snap six-game losing streak with 4-0 win over Mets

NEW YORK (AP) — Spencer Schwellenbach had a career-high 11 strikeouts in seven dominant, two-hit innings, and the Atlanta Braves snapped a six-game losing streak Saturday with a 4-0 victory over the New York Mets.

“I’m a confident person. I expect to throw well every time I get the ball and I think that’s why I’ve had success. I’m not surprised by that,” Schwellenbach said. “It was needed more than ever and I kind of dug a little deeper today.”

Marcell Ozuna and Matt Olson hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning after Mets starter Tylor Megill retired the first 11 batters in his return from the minor leagues. Orlando Arcia added an RBI single in the fifth after a leadoff walk to catcher Sean Murphy, and Eddie Rosario homered off Megill (2-5) in the top of the seventh.

Atlanta moved back into second place ahead of the Mets in the National League East and the league’s top draft spot. The injury-plagued Braves snapped their longest losing streak since a six-game stretch in September 2017, the final week of Brian Snitker’s first full season as manager. They haven’t lost seven games in a row since August 2016.

“It’s probably an understatement to say we needed a win today,” Snitker said.

Schwellenbach (4-5) completely destroyed a healthy Mets lineup as the Braves snapped New York’s five-game winning streak. He didn’t allow a walk and threw 62 of 89 pitches for strikes in his 10th major league start.

“His fastball was the hardest I think it was all year,” Mets slugger J.D. Martinez said. “His balls were moving all over the place. … He had it all.”

Snitker was asked if he thought about letting Schwellenbach, 24, pitch the eighth.

“I don’t know if he’s going to go into the eighth inning. We’re looking at how many innings he’s pitched in his first full year and things like that,” Snitker said. “He probably could have gone nine innings, quite honestly. But we have to be aware of the innings this kid is going to get, especially because he’s going deep in games.”

The rookie right-hander retired his last 10 batters. The only hits he allowed were doubles by Jeff McNeil in the second and Pete Alonso in the fourth.

“It was really impressive,” Snitker said. “He was great, just the consistency, the innings he covered, the way he did it.”

Joe Jimenez and Raisel Iglesias completed a four-hit game for Atlanta’s 12th shutout, which tied Boston for the most runs in the major leagues. Rosario helped with a bouncing catch over the left-field fence in the ninth inning, and Iglesias struck out Martinez and Alonso with two batters on base to end a game that lasted just 2 hours, 13 minutes.

New York, which never advanced a runner to third base, was shut out for the eighth time and fell to 11-4 in its last 15 games. Martinez struck out four and Mark Vientos threw out three times.

“That was his best game of the year,” Murphy said of Schwellenbach. “I feel like he’s getting better every time. I don’t say that lightly. I feel like he’s getting more comfortable and he’s kind of defined what we want to do with him. We needed that game today. Spencer took care of that.”

Braves: 2B/OF Whit Merrifield (right index finger) won’t be able to play in the field until his stitches are removed, and Snitker doesn’t think that will happen until at least Atlanta returns home on Aug. 1.

Mets: Right-handed pitcher Kodai Senga was placed on the 15-day disabled list and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season with a severe left calf strain. New York manager Carlos Mendoza didn’t rule out Senga returning this year if the Mets make the playoffs. … Outfielder Harrison Bader missed his fourth straight game with a sore right ankle. But he was feeling better and was expected to work out before the game. Mendoza hoped Bader would be available as a replacement. … Outfielder Brandon Nimmo was shaken up after fouling off his left knee in the fourth inning, but he stayed in the game and said afterward he was OK.

All-star right-handed pitcher Reynaldo López (7-4, 2.12 ERA) will start for Atlanta in the final game of the four-game series Sunday against left-handed pitcher David Peterson (5-0, 3.14 ERA).

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb