NEW YORK (AP) — Ozzie Albies homered, drove in the go-ahead run with a double in the eighth inning, and hit an RBI single as the Atlanta Braves beat the slumping New York Mets 4-3 on Thursday night.

Bryce Elder (5-9) allowed three runs (two earned) over seven innings for the Braves, who are 7-3 against the Mets this season. Raisel Iglesias earned his 17th save with a perfect ninth.

Albies went deep against starter Kodai Senga in the third and hit an RBI single off Tyler Rogers in the sixth. Michael Harris II tied the game with an RBI double off Ryan Helsley (3-3) in the eighth before scoring on Albies’ hit to deep right.

The Mets have lost 13 of their last 15 games and their lead over the idle Cincinnati Reds in the race for the final wild-card spot shrunk to a half-game.

Francisco Lindor hit a third-inning solo homer and Brandon Nimmo (sacrifice fly) and Pete Alonso (single) had back-to-back RBIs to give the Mets a 3-2 lead in the sixth.

Senga gave up two runs in 5 2/3 innings.

Key moment

Dylan Lee struck out Juan Soto on three pitches before retiring Nimmo on a grounder to strand Lindor at first in the eighth.

Key stats

Albies has 81 RBIs against the Mets, his most against any opponent. Lindor and Soto stole a base apiece as the Mets extended their streak of consecutive steals without being caught to a team-record 36.

Up next

The Mets remain home Friday, when LHP Sean Manaea (1-1, 4.33 ERA) is scheduled to start the series opener against the Seattle Mariners and RHP Luis Castillo (8-6, 3.19).

The Braves continue a six-game road trip on Friday as RHP Hurston Waldrep (2-0, 1.54 takes the mound against LHP Joey Cantillo (3-2, 4.11) and the Cleveland Guardians.

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