Alonso’s 3 hits help Mets overcome loss of pitcher Canning in a 4-0 win over Braves

NEW YORK (AP) — Pete Alonso had three hits and an RBI and the New York Mets overcame the loss of starting pitcher Griffin Canning to injury in the third inning Thursday night for a 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves and a split of the four-game series.

The Mets, who had lost 10 of 11 games before a 7-3 win over the Braves on Wednesday night, moved back into first place in the NL East, a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Canning worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings before suffering a left ankle injury on a non-contact play while trying to race off the mound. After the game, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said it “looks like an Achilles injury.” The team said he would undergo imaging to determine the severity of the injury.

After Canning left, four relievers limited the Braves to two hits the rest of the way. Austin Warren (1-0) replaced Canning and threw 2 1/3 one-hit innings.

Tyrone Taylor lofted a sacrifice fly against Grant Holmes (4-7) in the fourth, and Alonso doubled the lead with a run-scoring hit in the fifth. Jeff McNeil added a two-run single in the seventh.

The Mets won while debuting their blue alternate uniforms with “New York” in script on the front.

Holmes allowed two runs and six hits while walking three and striking out six over five innings.

Key moment

Canning’s injury may have created another vacancy in a depleted rotation for the Mets, who are already without ace Kodai Senga (right hamstring) as well as Tylor Megill (elbow) and Sean Manaea (oblique, elbow).

Key stats

Braves first baseman Matt Olson played in his 700th straight regular-season game — the longest streak in the majors since Miguel Tejada’s 1,152-game streak from 2000-07. … The first pitch temperature was 69 degrees (20 Celsius), 28 degrees cooler than Tuesday’s Citi Field record.

Up next

LHP David Peterson (5-3, 2.98 ERA) starts for the Mets against Pittsburgh RHP Mitch Keller (1-10, 4.02) Friday night.

The Braves and RHP Bryce Elder (2-4, 4.77 ERA) host the Philadelphia Phillies and RHP Mick Abel (2-1, 3.47).

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