FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- John Thomson looked like Greg Maddux used to look for the Atlanta Braves .

Thomson pitched eight strong innings and Andruw Jones knocked in two runs as the Braves cruised to a 6-1 victory over the New York Mets .

After winning a career-high 13 games with Texas last season, Thomson signed a two-year, $7 million contract with the Braves, who lost Maddux and Shane Reynolds from their once vaunted rotation. Maddux went 194-88 and captured three Cy Young Awards with the Braves from 1993-2003.

Thomson (1-0), who worked five innings while not factoring in the decision against the Mets six days ago, was brilliant this time around. The righthander gave up one run and seven hits, striking out seven without a walk.

"It felt like I had great stuff tonight," Thomson said. "I got my sinker going early and I was able to use my curveball as well. I didn't walk anybody so I used my pitches very economically and I felt really strong late in the game."

"Thomson pitched a great game," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "He really used all of his pitches, great control and he pitched great with the lead."

Jones provided some of the offense with a sacrifice fly in the first inning and an RBI double in a five-run third that opened a 6-0 lead.

Mets rookie Tyler Yates (0-1) was roughed up for six runs and six hits in 2 1/3 innings.

The game was delayed by rain for 62 minutes at the start.

Mike Piazza made his second start at first base for the Mets and committed a two-base error on Dewayne Wise 's ground ball to open the contest. Wise eventually came around on Jones' sacrifice fly.

Wise also ignited the five-run uprising in the third with a leadoff triple, the first of five straight hits in the inning. Mark DeRosa , rookie Adam LaRoche and Jesse Garcia all had run-scoring singles, Jones an RBI double and Eli Marrero a sacrifice fly in the frame.

"The first couple of innings I felt pretty good but in that third inning things got out of control," Yates said. "They strung a lot of hits together and next thing you know, they had a big inning."

Rookie Kaz Matsui accounted for the Mets' lone run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Thomson worked around leadoff hits in both the seventh and eighth and departed after throwing 65 of 94 pitches for strikes.

"He hit every spot tonight he needed to hit," Mets catcher Jason Phillips said. "He was in the strike zone the whole night but not good enough for us to hit. He did a good job keeping us off balance."