Riley's slam, 6 RBIs power Braves to 12-5 rout of Mets

NEW YORK (AP) — Austin Riley hit a grand slam and a two-run homer to set a career high with six RBIs, powering the Atlanta Braves to a 12-5 rout of the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

Ozzie Albies and Abraham Almonte also had two-run homers for the Braves, who have won two of the first three in a five-game series as they chase the first-place Mets in the NL East. Dansby Swanson delivered a two-run double in the first inning to get Atlanta started.

Charlie Morton (10-3) earned the win after allowing three runs and five hits with five strikeouts over five innings.

Jeff McNeil and Brandon Drury each hit a two-run homer for the Mets after they trailed 10-1 in the fourth.

Riley’s fourth-inning slam bounced off advertising signage near the left field foul pole and into a small seating overhang. His sixth-inning homer glanced off signage a few dozen feet to the right of his first round-tripper.

The two-homer game was the third of the season and career for Riley, who had two homers May 21 against Pittsburgh and went deep twice again — this time with five RBIs — against the Pirates two days later.

Every starter for the Braves had at least one hit except catcher Stephen Vogt.

Riley’s grand slam punctuated a rough night for Mets spot starter Jerad Eickhoff (0-2), who gave up 10 runs on seven hits and five walks in 3 1/3 innings. Eickhoff became the sixth pitcher in team history to allow 10 earned runs in an outing and the first since Johan Santana on May 2, 2010.

Pete Alonso had an RBI single in the third, McNeil extended his hitting streak to a career-high 14 games and Drury went 3 for 3 after entering in the fourth.

BACK AND FORTH

Eickhoff’s rough start came hours after he joined the Mets for the third time this season. Eickhoff was selected from Triple-A Syracuse on June 20...

source https://www.chron.com/sports/article/Riley-s-slam-6-RBIs-power-Braves-to-12-5-rout-of-16344637.php