Buck Showalter suspended, Braves cool off Mets

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While the Atlanta Braves have stumbled out of the gate, the New York Mets are off to a fast start and look like a legitimate threat to the reigning champions.

But the Braves didn't win those rings by accident.

Austin Riley homered, Max Fried won his third straight outing and Atlanta cooled off the Mets with a 5-2 victory Monday night in the first of 19 meetings between the National League East rivals this season.

"We've been having a rough time here lately and we put something together, so it was good for us to get this win," manager Brian Snitker said.

Travis d'Arnaud had three hits and three more RBIs against his former team. Fried (3-2) settled in after a rocky start, outpitching Chris Bassitt in Atlanta's second comeback win of the season to open the four-game series.

Mark Canha hit his first home run for the division-leading Mets (16-8), who played without manager Buck Showalter. He was suspended for one game about 20 minutes before the first pitch after Major League Baseball determined New York reliever Yoan López intentionally threw at Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwarber the previous night.

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Atlanta Braves' Austin Riley hits a home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets Monday, May 2, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Mets bench coach Glenn Sherlock filled in for Showalter, with help from pitching coach Jeremy Hefner and hitting coach Eric Chávez.

"We were surprised, I can tell you that," Sherlock said. "It was close to game time, but like I said, that’s baseball and that’s really not our decision. Just have to deal with it."

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