Drew Rasmussen delivers quality start vs. Royals

The Mets led the game 5-3 after 1 1/2 innings and also after eight innings. They then crushed Cookie Carrasco for five runs in the top of the ninth, only for the Braves to make a nearly miraculous run in the bottom of the ninth, which featured a grand slam from Drake Baldwin. Bichette’s two-run double in the ninth, which seemed pretty meaningless at the time, was hit 407 feet to center and would have been a grand slam in 11 ballparks. He’s batting .350 with five homers, eight doubles and 22 RBI in his last 29 games.

The runs all came in the first, and that one was unearned was the product of McLean’s own errant pickoff throw. Rather surprisingly, McLean was sent back out for the seventh at 92 pitches. He gave up a single to Austin Riley and was pulled, but Brooks Raley got through the rest of the inning without issue. McLean has won four of his last five decisions and is now 6-5 with a 3.73 ERA. He struck out five and walked one today, and he has a nice 30/6 K/BB in his last four starts. He’ll next face the Red Sox on Friday.

Williams thought he had the day off with the Mets up 10-3 in the ninth, but aided by some shoddy defense, the Braves scored five runs off Huascar Brazobán. Williams came in with one out and the bases empty after a Drake Baldwin grand slam and struck out Ozzie Albies before giving up three straight hits. The second of those should have been the third out, but Jared Young and Williams got too deliberate trying to pull off a 3-1 groundout and Michael Harris II beat it out. Williams finally finished off the game by striking out Dominic Smith with the winning run on second. It’s Williams’ 13th save in 14 tries. He threw 22 pitches, but since he did have four days off coming into this one, he’ll probably be available on Monday.

The 92-mph liner hit Pérez in the forearm. X-rays were negative, but manager Walt Weiss said after the game that he’d likely go on the injured list anyway, allowing the Braves to add an extra pitcher with no days off this week. Pérez took the loss, leaving him 6-6 with a 3.54 ERA.

After sitting against a lefty on Saturday, Ewing started versus Martín Pérez today and took him deep for his fifth major league homer. He’s hitting .222/.280/.444 in 45 at-bats against lefties, compared to .281/.370/.391 in 121 at-bats versus righties. He batted seventh today, but he’ll likely be in the leadoff spot against right-hander Reynaldo López on Monday.

Baldwin’s slam off Huascar Brazobán came as part of a six-run ninth inning in which the Braves almost overcame a seven-run deficit. It was his first homer since June 16, when he went deep in his first at-bat off the injured list. He’d been 4-for-59 with no extra-base hits, no RBI and a 24/3 K/BB since that homer. What he clearly needs is more at-bats with the bases loaded; today’s slam was his first, but he’s 10-for-17 with five walks and just one strikeout lifetime with the sacks jacked.

Yean was just recalled before Sunday’s game, and he pitched well in his MLB debut with two scoreless innings. The Nationals will need a fresh arm for their beleaguered bullpen, however, so Yean will head back to Rochester with a corresponding move to be announced Monday. That will likely be Matt Krook, who was claimed off waivers Sunday.

O’Hoppe missed Saturday’s game after exiting Friday with a head injury, but the 26-year-old is good to go for the finale against Boston.

Aldegheri gets the demotion after struggling over four innings in his loss to the Red Sox on Saturday. The 24-year-old will likely be back at some point this summer — likely after the All-Star break — but he’ll be replaced by Tayler Saucedo on the active roster.

Saucedo gets the promotion to help the Angels’ bullpen after being optioned to Triple-A at the end of May. The 32-year-old will be an option against lefties while he’s with the club.