Austin Riley's walk-off sac fly seals a 5-4 comeback win for the Braves over the Mets on June 18. Marcell Ozuna's clutch double tied it late. Recap the stunner!
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Just when it looked like the New York Mets had the upper hand, the Atlanta Braves reminded everyone why you never leave Truist Park early. In a gritty, resilient display, Austin Riley delivered a walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th inning, sealing a thrilling 5-4 comeback victory and sending the Mets home stunned.
Eight runs batted in over his last four games. Marcell Ozuna isn't just hot; he's the engine of the Braves offense right now.
For seven innings, it was a frustrating affair. The Braves trailed late and the offense was searching for a spark. They found a firestarter in Marcell Ozuna. Stepping to the plate in the bottom of the eighth with the bases loaded and the team down by three, Ozuna delivered the biggest hit of the night: a screaming double that cleared the bases and tied the game at 4-4 in an instant. The clutch hit, celebrated across social media, completely shifted the momentum and set the stage for extra-inning drama.
Following Ozuna's heroics, the bullpen was tasked with keeping the game deadlocked. Pierce Johnson and Dylan Lee delivered crucial scoreless frames to get the team to extras. In the top of the 10th, the ball was handed to closer Raisel Iglesias. Despite a rocky season that has his ERA at 6.00, Iglesias was flawless, pitching a perfect inning and striking out one to earn the win. It was his third straight scoreless outing, a promising trend for the back end of the bullpen.
With the automatic runner on second to start the bottom of the 10th, the Braves executed perfectly. A quick advance to third put the winning run just 90 feet away. Austin Riley, ever the professional, stepped up and did exactly what was needed, lifting a deep fly ball to the outfield for a sacrifice fly. The run scored easily, the dugout emptied, and the Braves celebrated another hard-fought walk-off win against a key division opponent.
This wasn't just another win; it was a statement. Beating a division rival like the Mets in comeback fashion can provide a massive jolt of momentum. With Ozuna swinging a hot bat and the bullpen showing signs of stabilizing, the Braves will look to carry this energy into the rest of the series. Victories like this are what build championship character, and Atlanta showed they have it in spades tonight.
