Mets stay undefeated at home with 9th straight win

No team in baseball is hotter than the New York Mets. 

New York has overcome the early-season adversity thrown its way to start the 2015 campaign with eight consecutive wins at home. 

The Atlanta Braves were the red-hot Mets' latest victim, falling to New York 7-1 at Citi Field on Tuesday. It marked the first-place Mets' ninth straight win, improving the club's record to 11-3. 

Left-hander Jon Niese threw 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball with five strikeouts to earn his second win of the season. Four Mets relievers blanked the Braves the rest of the way, while Curtis Granderson had a three-hit game and drove in four runs. 

Catcher Kevin Plawecki, promoted after Travis d'Arnaud suffered a hand fracture, went 2-for-4 in his major-league debut. 

In addition to d'Arnaud, the Mets also recently lost lefty reliever Jerry Blevins to a fractured arm and third baseman David Wright to a hamstring strain. Closer Jenrry Mejia, meanwhile, was suspended 80 games after violating baseball's drug policy, and Zack Wheeler went down for the year due to Tommy John surgery before the season began.

Despite the hardships, the Mets have matched their best start since 1986 - the year they last won the World Series.