About the only good thing about tonight’s Mets game against the Braves were the spiffy bright orange jerseys. Atlanta beat the Mets by the score of 8-2 in front of a sparse crowd at Citi Field.
Jeremy Hefner was manhandled as the Braves teed off on him for three home runs and chased him from the game after 4.1 innings. All told Hefner was charged with six runs, five earned, on six hits and a walk while striking out three. It’s the second straight dismal outing for Hefner who has seen his ERA balloon to 4.17 for the season.
There was a somber moment in the bottom of the eighth inning when Tim Hudson was severely injured after Eric Young Jr. ran over Hudson’s ankle on a close play first base. Replays showed that Hudson was covering first base and Mets outfielder Eric Young, Jr. stepped on his ankle attempting to beat the throw. Young immediately went over to Hudson to see if he was ok and was seen on camera appearing to be crying.
Hudson was cruising until that point, going 7.2 innings, allowing four hits and striking out nine. The Braves were leading the game 6-0. It was a gruesome injury and it could very well end the 38-year old’s season and perhaps his career. We wish Hudson the best.
The only Mets scoring came right after Hudson was replaced by Luis Avilan who allowed a 2-run double to Daniel Murphy to score Anthony Recker and Omar Quintanilla.
The Braves came right back in the ninth to tack on another pair of runs off Scott Atchison whose WHIP is now at 1.41.
Notes:
JEREMY HEFNER: Allowed a career-high three home runs…He became the first Mets pitcher to allow more than two home runs in a game at Citi Field this season…First time he allowed multiple home runs since he did it in three straight appearance between April 10-April 20…Hefner has an 18.47 ERA (13 earned runs/6.1 innings) in his last two starts…In his previous eight starts he went 3-1 with a 1.76 ERA (10 earned runs/51.0 innings)
MURPHY DOUBLES: Stroked his 24th and 25th doubles of the season tonight…Twenty-four of his doubles have come as a second-baseman, the most in the National League…Tonight was Murphy’s fourth multi-double game of the year…Joined Matt Carpenter and Andrew McCutchen as the only NL players with at least four multi-double games this season.
LAGARES ASSISTS: Threw out Jayson Heyward at the plate to end the top of the ninth inning…His team-leading seventh outfield assist of the season…Entering the day, he was tied for seventh in the NL in assists.
GONZALEZ GERMEN: Tossed 2.2 innings of scoreless relief tonight…Since allowing a run in his major league debut, Germen has not allowed a run in his last 5.2 innings (four outings)…Stranded one inherited runner…He has stranded all seven inherited runners this season.
The Mets are now down two games to one in the series with the finale of the four game set for tomorrow at 12:10 PM. Zack Wheeler (3-1, 3.58 ERA) will oppose Alex Wood (0-2, 2.45 ERA).
