Pérez, White help Braves slip by Mets

Pérez left after throwing 5 1/3 scoreless innings, striking out four and allowing just four hits. The veteran lefty threw 71 pitches (43 for strikes) and walked just one batter.

The 71 pitches were a season-low in a start for Pérez, who probably had a lot left in the tank, but said he understood why manager Walt Weiss went to the bullpen when he did.

“It’s something you can control. I was expecting to go a little bit deep, but that’s our plan, and nothing can you do, and just give a chance to the relievers,” he added. “I think we got one of the best bullpens in the game, and they’ve been doing great - especially when I’m pitching. There’s been games where I go out there and give up three, and then they hold the game, and then we have a chance to score.”

Right fielder Eli White provided Pérez all the run support needed with an RBI double and solo homer. White went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and drove in two runs for just the second time this season in his 40th game.

“ I’ve kind of been in that role since I debuted, and it’s a hard thing to do, but it’s something that I’ve gotten comfortable in that role,” White said of not being an everyday player but still being able to contribute at times. “I feel like I have a good routine of how to stay prepared, even if I’m not getting live pitching every day, and stay mentally fresh. I’ve just kind of carved out a little routine that works for me and try and stick with it.”

Michael Harris II gave the Braves some insurance in the eighth by crushing an 0-2 curveball from Mets reliever Austin Warren. Harris’ two-out homer was his 14th of the season.

The Braves (46-24) avoided what would have been their first four-game losing streak of the season and will try to win the series at 1:40 p.m. Sunday.

In the second inning Saturday, the Braves opened the scoring and would go on to improve to 30-10 when scoring first this season. Matt Olson singled to right field on a two-strike pitch from Mets starter Sean Manaea, then scored on White’s RBI double over the head of a diving MJ Melendez in right field.

White came to the plate with two outs in the fourth and turned on a 1-0, center-cut cutter from Manaea (1-2). The 390-foot homer run that landed in the left field seats was White’s first long ball since April 26 and his third of the season.

“Going off my first at bat there, (Manaea) kind of beat me with a cutter in, so I had a hunch that he was going to try and come back with a cutter in,” White said. “He left it kind of over the heart of the plate and was able to put a good swing on it.”

After Pérez (5-3) left in the sixth, Dylan Lee came in and got Juan Soto to pop up to center on a first-pitch slider. Mark Vientos also swung at a first-pitch slider from Lee, but Vientos’ swing produced a run-scoring single to left, cutting the Mets’ deficit in half.

Pérez improved to 5-0 at Citi Field and lowered his ERA to 3.05 at the stadium.

“I think it’s the energy,” Pérez said. “I really like this park, too. This is a good ballpark. And I got a lot of friends from the north side and it’s good when you compete against them.”

Didier Fuentes struck out the side in the seventh and Robert Suarez threw a 1-2-3 eighth. Raisel Iglesias, who gave up a walk-off hit Tuesday in Chicago, allowed a lead-off home run to Juan Soto in the ninth — but it was ruled that the ball hit off the top of the wall, resulting in a double instead.

Iglesias got a strikeout, walked Marcus Semien and then got a 1-4-3 double play ball to earn his 14th save.

The Braves improved to 39-0 this season when leading after eight innings.