ATLANTA _ In a start to a season that has been heavy on late-inning drama, Friday night offered one of the Mets' rarest commodities: a relatively stress-free win.
It was a 6-2 decision against the Braves at SunTrust Park, the Mets' second there in as many nights, this time with plenty of runs early and strong relief pitching late, an unusual combination in the opening weeks of the season.
The first eight wins for the first-place Mets (9-4) came by an average of 2.4 runs. Six of those eight required a save _ five by Edwin Diaz, one by Justin Wilson _ and the other two featured four-run Mets leads in the ninth, Diaz finishing them off anyway.
Wilson (one inning) and Seth Lugo (two innings) handled the Braves in relief of right-hander Zack Wheeler. The bullpen has not been a strength for the Mets early on (6.25 ERA entering Friday), but manager Mickey Callaway expects that to change.
"When you win, your best relievers are going to pitch a lot. And they have been," Callaway said Friday afternoon. "We've weathered the storm and still won games, even though they probably haven't been effective or have been unlucky through that stretch. So we know it's going to turn around. It's going to uptick, and we're going to be even better for it."
The Mets have scored at least six runs in six consecutive games, matching the franchise record. They have done that four other times, including twice in 2007 (Aug. 15-21 and Sept. 18-23).
This offensive outburst came from a new-look lineup, including Jeff McNeil at the top and Brandon Nimmo dropped to eighth amid his slump.
Atlanta right-hander Kyle Wright didn't last through the fourth, when back-to-back, two-out, RBI doubles from Robinson Cano and Michael Conforto chased him. McNeil had a two-run double earlier in the frame, Nimmo a two-run homer in his first at-bat in the second inning.
Nimmo finished 3 for 4 and a triple shy of the cycle. He homered in the second, bunted for a single in the fourth and doubled in the eighth. In his past five games, Nimmo is 7 for 18 (.389) with five extra-base hits.
Callaway wasn't sure Friday afternoon whether Nimmo's lower lineup spot was a one-day event, but he liked the idea of getting him a different look and forcing opposing pitchers to make a decision.
"We're trying to get him pitches to hit and try to get him out of his little funk," Callaway said. "We figured we'd put Nim in the eight-hole so they have to make a decision whether to pitch to him or not. Hopefully he'll either get pitches to hit or he'll get nothing at all and walk like he's so good at doing."
McNeil (2 for 5) and Dominic Smith (2 for 4) also had multiple hits. Smith is batting .438 in a part-time role, limited to two starts because of rookie Pete Alonso's red-hot beginning.
Wheeler (1-1), who grew up outside Atlanta, rebounded well from his seven-walk mess against the Nationals last weekend.
In six innings, he held the Braves to two runs, six hits and three walks, striking out eight. The Braves worked Wheeler for 111 pitches but scored only on Nick Markakis' sacrifice fly in the first and Ronald Acuna Jr.'s double in the fifth.
