The red-hot New York Mets welcomed the defending World Series champion Atlanta Braves to New York to open their eighth series of the season Monday night. The Mets had won seven straight series to open the season heading into Monday night’s matchup against the NL East rival Braves.
Max Fried (2-2, 3.00 ERA) was on the mound for the visiting Braves in his fifth start off the season. Chris Bassitt (3-1, 2.25 ERA) was making his fifth start of the 2022 season for the home Mets.
The Mets bats were quiet as the offense struggled to produce runs and did not do well with runners in scoring position, either. Bassitt pitched well, striking out eight over the course of seven innings. However, he did not have support from his offense on Monday as the Mets fell to the Braves 5-2 to open the series at Citi Field.
Bassitt started off well in the top of the first, retiring the Braves in order. He retired Ronald Acuna Jr. on a strikeout during the inning for his first strikeout of the night. Bassitt needed just five pitches to get through the top of the first.
After Nimmo reached on a fielding error to open the bottom half of the inning, Mark Canha singled to left field to put two runners on with no outs to get the Mets offense started. Fried, however worked his way out of trouble, retiring the next three batters he faced as the Mets failed to produce on the lead-off batters reaching.
Bassitt continued to roll in the top of the second. He allowed a two-out single in the inning, but retired the other three batters he faced and collected his second strikeout of the game.
As the Mets came back up in the second, Marte led off with a lead-off, stand-up double for the Mets’ third base runner of the game. McNeil advanced Marte with a deep fly-out to center field. Marte then came across to score three pitches later on a wild pitch to give the Mets a 1-0 lead over the Braves in the second.
Bassitt struck out two in the third to bring his strikeout count to four as he continued to look strong on the mound through three.
The Mets extended their lead in the third as Cahna stayed hot. He hit a one-out solo home run to extend the Mets’ lead to 2-0 over the Braves in the third. It was his first home run as a Met. Cahna was 2-for-2 on the night with a single and a home run off of Fried.
The Braves got on the board in the fourth on a lead-off, solo home run by Austin Riley off of Bassitt. Bassitt then retired the next three batters he faced to get out of the inning, avoiding any further damage. He also struck out two in the inning to bring his strikeout count to six.
Fried retired the Mets in order in the bottom of the fourth.
Bassitt came back out in the fifth and surrendered a walk and hit a batter, but worked his way out of trouble to get out of the inning. He had seven strikeouts through five innings pitched.
McNeil, who is one of the Mets’ hottest hitters, led off the fifth with a surprise lead-off drag bunt single that no one saw coming to reach. The Mets, however, were not able to produce, leaving McNeil stranded and the score 2-1 through five innings.
The Braves then took the lead in the sixth.
Riley led off the inning for the Braves with a single to left field to put the tying run on base. Two batters later, Ozzie Albies singled to left field with one out to put runners on first and second. Old friend Travis d’Arnaud–and newfound Met killer–collected his second hit of the day immediately after with an RBI double to right field that scored Ozuna to tie the game 2-2 in the sixth. Then it was Adam Duvall with a sacrifice fly that scored Albies. A pickle between second and third to get d’Arnaud caught between bases for the third out. But the run counted. It was a 3-2 game heading to the bottom of the sixth.
Fried came back out to throw the sixth for the Braves. He shut down the Mets in order to keep the Braves’ lead going into the seventh.
Bassitt settled back in in the seventh. He retired the Braves in order.
The Braves went to their bullpen in the seventh. Tyler Matzek came in to replace Fried on the mound in the seventh.
Fried’s final line: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO, 1 HR, 3.00 ERA
After the first two Mets were retired in the seventh, the Mets tried to rally with two outs. McNeil walked and McCann was hit by a pitch to put two on with two outs. He was the 21st Met to get hit this season. Nimmo then walked to load the bases.
That was it for Matzek as the Braves went to their bullpen with the bases loaded full of Mets. Collin McHugh came in to replace Matzek on the mound. He came in and got the job done, striking out Cahna to end the inning.
Bassitt’s day finished after another inning, giving him seven on the night.
Bassitt’s final line: 7 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO, 1 HR, 2.61 ERA
Trevor May came in in May to replace Bassitt on the mound for the Mets in the eighth.
May gave up a lead-off walk and a two-out single in the inning to put two runners on. d’Arnaud then hit a two-out, two-RBI double to left field to extend the Braves’ lead over the Mets to 5-2 in the eighth. May then got Duvall to fly out to end the inning but not before the damage was done as the Braves took an extended 5-2 lead into the bottom of the eighth. D’Arnaud ended the night with three hits and three RBI against his former team.
May said after the game he’s still not totally healthy after dealing with a triceps strain at the beginning of the season. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him end up on the injured list soon.
A.J. Minter replaced McHugh on the mound for the Braves in the bottom of the eighth, and the Mets bats once again couldn’t produce any runs. They couldn’t do any damage to Kenley Jansen in the ninth, either, and the Mets fell 5-2.
Fried (3-2, 3.00 ERA) took the win for the Braves. Bassitt (3-2, 2.61) surrendered the loss, and Jansen (7, 2.70 ERA) solidified the save. The Braves improve to 11-13 (4th in the NL East) with Monday’s win. The Mets fall to 16-8, but remain in first in the NL East.
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
Player of the Game: Mark Canha
Canha got two hits, including his first home run, tonight. Despite the struggling offense, that warrants Player of the Game, we think!
On Deck
The Braves and Mets continue their series on Tuesday with a doubleheader. Game one is scheduled to start at 3:10 pm EDT. Carlos Carrasco and David Peterson will pitch tomorrow for the Mets (not yet announced who will pitch which game), and Charlie Morton and Kyle Wright will pitch for the Braves.
