Braves toy with no-hitter and baffle Mets

On Saturday afternoon, Max Fried pitched seven no-hit innings for the visiting Atlanta Braves, who came one out away from their first no-hitter in almost 30 years in a 4-1 victory over the New York Mets.

Fried (3-1) walked Tomas Nido and Brandon Nimmo in the third inning, Pete Alonso in the seventh, and struck out five. Joe Jimenez walked Harrison Bader to start the eighth inning before walking DJ Stewart with one out. He then struck out the next two batters, Tyrone Taylor and Starling Marte.

Raisel Iglesias recorded the first two outs of the ninth before J.D. Martinez homered to right center. Jeff McNeil walked, then Bader hit, before Brett Baty flew out to finish the game.

Kent Mercker threw the Braves’ most recent no-hitter on April 8, 1994, against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Orlando Arcia hit a two-run home run in the third, Michael Harris II had an RBI single in the fourth, and Ronald Acuna Jr. drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth for the Braves, who have won four straight games.

Harris finished with three singles.

The Mets have lost 12 of their past 18. New York rookie Christian Scott (0-1) allowed three runs on six hits and two walks while striking out eight over six-plus innings.

Scott faced the minimum through two innings before Harris opened the third with a single. Three pitches later, Arcia hit a home run just inside the left-field foul pole. In the fourth inning, the Braves added another run when Austin Riley walked, advanced to second on Travis d’Arnaud’s two-out single, and scored on Harris’ single.

Scott retired the next seven batters before walking d’Arnaud and allowing Harris’ third single to begin the seventh.

Atlanta added a run in the ninth, as Marcell Ozuna doubled, Harris got hit by a pitch and Arcia walked before Acuna drew a two-out, bases-loaded walk.