Atlanta Braves Lose 7-6 in Extra Innings, Streak Falters

Atlanta Braves suffered a 7-6, 10‑inning defeat to the New York Mets on Monday, July 6, 2026, snapping Raisel Iglesias’ 35‑save run and leaving the club at 52‑38, third in the National League on a three‑game losing streak.

What went wrong in the ninth?

With two outs and runners on the corners, manager Walt Weiss chose to challenge Juan Soto instead of issuing a walk. Iglesias delivered a 95 mph fastball to the corner, and Soto launched a 430‑foot homer that gave the Mets a 5‑3 lead. The decision, explained by Weiss as a “go‑ahead run at second,” backfired and forced the Braves into extra innings.

How the Braves responded in the 10th

Matt Olson answered with a two‑run blast in the bottom of the ninth, tying the game and sending it to the 10th. The rally sparked hope, but the Mets added two more runs in the extra frame, sealing a 7‑6 win. Olson’s homer marked his second of the night, showcasing his power despite the team’s overall struggles.

Injury fallout and bullpen strain

Hours before the game, left‑hander Martín Pérez landed on the 15‑day injured list with a forearm contusion after a line drive struck his throwing arm. The Braves already were missing Spencer Strider (60‑day IL) and Ronald Acuña Jr. (hamstring). Young arms like Owen Murphy, who debuted in the 10th, are now shouldering high‑leverage innings, testing the depth of a roster stretched thin.

What the loss means for Atlanta’s division race

The defeat drops Atlanta to a 52‑38 record, still third in the NL but now only three games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies, a far narrower margin than the double‑digit lead they once enjoyed. After a West Coast trip that produced a 1‑5 stretch, the Braves hoped a home reset would halt the slide, yet the mid‑summer slump persists.

Looking ahead

Chris Sale reminded the clubhouse that baseball’s long season allows room to recover, even after six straight losses. The Braves must lean on veterans like Olson, who praised recent improvements, while the bullpen works to regain confidence after the blown save. The next series will test whether Atlanta can convert marginal progress into a winning streak.

(Verified live data: as of July 8, 2026, the Braves sit 3rd in the NL, 52‑38, on a three‑game losing streak; their last result was a 12‑4 loss at Pittsburgh on July 7, 2026.)