Olson’s go-ahead HR jolts Braves past Mets

ATLANTA — Matt Olson might have been too young to fully appreciate the many great battles between the Braves and Mets around the start of this century. But the suburban Atlanta native has made himself a key figure in the renewed rivalry between these division foes.

Olson has quietly produced some impressive power numbers while dealing with the pressure of succeeding Freddie Freeman as Atlanta’s first baseman. But he loudly announced his presence with the go-ahead homer he hit to propel the Braves to a 4-1 win over the Mets on Tuesday night at Truist Park.

With Olson and Adam Duvall hitting two-run homers, the Braves overcame Spencer Strider’s short start and moved back within 1 1/2 games of the first-place Mets in the National League East. Atlanta has gained nine games in the division standings while going 30-9 since the start of June.

Mets starter David Peterson surrendered just one hit through the first five innings and he kept the Braves scoreless until Olson jumped on an elevated 2-2 fastball and drilled it over the center-field wall with one out in the sixth. The two-run shot was the veteran first baseman’s 14th homer of the season.

Francisco Lindor’s two-out RBI triple in the fifth chased Strider after 103 pitches. But the Braves received 1 1/3 scoreless innings from Tyler Matzek and two more scoreless frames from former Met Collin McHugh. A.J. Minter pitched a scoreless ninth to notch his fourth save.