Acuña big for Braves

ATLANTA — Ronald Acuña Jr. shook off a slow start by driving in two runs with two hits, including his first home run of the season, and the Atlanta Braves beat Michael Wacha and the New York Mets 7-1 on Saturday night for their fourth straight win.

The Mets have lost four straight, including the first two games of the four-game series between the National League East Division rivals.

Marcell Ozuna hit a two-run homer, his third this year, off Wacha (1-1) in the first inning.

Acuña led off the game with his 18th strikeout, the most in the majors, before emerging from his funk. He doubled in a run in the second for his first RBI as the Braves stretched the lead to 5-0.

Acuña lined his homer into the left-field seats in the sixth off right-hander Franklyn Kilome, who gave up two runs in his major league debut.

Making his first start since April 20, 2019, Braves right-hander Touki Toussaint allowed no runs on three hits and three walks in four innings. Toussaint moved into the rotation spot left vacant when Mike Foltynewicz was designated for assignment on Tuesday and sent outright to the team’s alternate training site on Thursday.

Toussaint may have earned another start. He was forced to pitch out of trouble in the third, when he walked two batters. He again escaped a jam in the fourth, when he gave up singles to Michael Conforto and Robinson Canó before loading the bases with a walk to Dominic Smith.

Toussaint struck out Wilson Ramos before ending the fourth on Amed Rosario’s groundout to third base.

Josh Tomlin (1-0) pitched 2 1/3 perfect innings with three strikeouts.

The Mets finally scored in the fifth off Luke Jackson. Canó’s bases-loaded sacrifice fly to right field drove in Brandon Nimmo, who walked.

Kilome was recalled on Friday, when catcher Rene Rivera was placed on the injured list.

Wacha allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks in four innings.