NEW YORK -- Francisco Lindor put on a show at Citi Field on Monday night, launching two home runs and a triple that ricocheted off the top of the right-field wall, propelling the New York Mets to a dominant 14-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves. The star shortstop drove in six runs, matching a career high for RBIs in a game, as the Mets overwhelmed their division rivals with a relentless offensive attack.

Lindor set the tone early. In the first inning, he smashed a triple off the top of the right-field fence, scoring a run to give the Mets an early lead. He followed that with a two-run homer to left field in his second at-bat against Atlanta starter Martín Pérez, staking the Mets to a 3-0 advantage. But the Braves responded in the fourth when Ozzie Albies launched a solo homer, cutting the deficit. Albies later added a two-run double in the sixth to tie the game at 3-3.

The tie didn't last long. In the bottom of the sixth, Marcus Semien stepped up and crushed a two-run homer deep to left field, snapping the deadlock and putting the Mets ahead for good. The floodgates opened in the seventh when Tyrone Taylor, riding a hot streak, belted a three-run homer to extend the lead to 8-3. Taylor had also homered the previous day against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Mets kept pouring it on. In the eighth, Lindor delivered the final blow: a towering three-run homer into the left-field seats off Braves reliever Connor Thomas, capping a five-run inning and making the score 14-3. It was Lindor's 23rd career multihomer game and his first since August 15 of the previous season against Seattle. The switch-hitter also recorded six RBIs for the fourth time in his career, a feat he last accomplished on April 14, 2023. Notably, Monday marked the first time he has collected two homers and a triple in a single game.

Lindor was not alone in the offensive onslaught. The Mets, playing without injured slugger Juan Soto, matched a season high with 19 hits. Lindor, Semien, Taylor, Bo Bichette, and rookie A.J. Ewing all finished with three hits apiece. The team has now scored double-digit runs in 10 games this season, a remarkable output for a club sitting in last place in the NL East with a 45-62 record.

On the mound, rookie left-hander Zac Thornton (2-1) delivered a solid performance in his fifth big league start. He allowed three runs and six hits over 6 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking just one. The 25-year-old showed poise in keeping the Braves at bay after they tied the game.

Atlanta's Martín Pérez struggled, giving up three runs and eight hits in five innings. Reliever Connor Thomas (0-1) had a nightmare outing, surrendering 11 runs and 10 hits in only 2 2/3 innings. The Braves were forced to use infielder Jorge Mateo on the mound to finish the eighth inning, a sign of how thoroughly the Mets had dismantled their pitching staff.

For the Braves, there was a bright spot: star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. returned to the lineup after missing 37 games with a strained left hamstring. He went 1-for-4 with two strikeouts, but the team hopes his presence will bolster their offense as they cling to first place. Ozzie Albies drove in all three of Atlanta's runs with a solo homer and a two-run double.

The two teams meet again Tuesday night, with Atlanta left-hander Chris Sale (11-6, 2.19 ERA) scheduled to face New York right-hander Christian Scott (3-2, 3.13). The Mets will look to build on their momentum, while the Braves aim to rebound from a lopsided defeat.