Game Recap: Dominant Wheeler Strikes Out Nine in 3-0 Victory Over Braves

The New York Mets (44-63) defeated the Atlanta Braves (59-47) by a score of 3-0 at Citi Field on Saturday, in front of a large crowd on Noah Syndergaard bobblehead night.

Pitching:

The still-Met Zack Wheeler took the bump tonight against the Atlanta Braves, his childhood team, and he started hot. He struck out the side in the first, including a three pitch strike out of Ronald Acuna Jr., a foul tip held onto by Kevin Plawecki, and a fastball upstairs on 2-2 to Freddie Freeman. Wheeler touched 99 MPH with his fastball in the first.

Wheeler got through the second with some help from a fine defensive play by Jeff McNeil. Wheeler responded to having a lead by putting up a one-two-three third.

Wheeler gave up a single to Freddie Freeman with one out in the fourth, but came back to strike out Markakis and get Johan Camargo to fly out to left field.

A Tyler Flowers infield single was all there was to the fifth for the Braves, as he was retired after Dansby Swanson grounded into a 6-4-3 double play.

Wheeler struck out Ronald Acuna Jr. and then had some assistance from Wilmer Flores who flashed the leather with a diving stop up the first base line to end the inning.

Wheeler worked around a leadoff double by with a pair of strikeouts and a diving catch by Brandon Nimmo. Wheeler matched his career high for strikeouts with nine.

Bobby Wahl was handed the eighth, where he worked himself into one out trouble, but struck out Acuna Jr. on a slider. Wahl was removed after two outs for Robert Gsellman, who got Albies to ground out to Jeff McNeil on one pitch.

Gsellman stayed on for the four out save, but first had to make it through the heart of the Braves order. Freeman and Markakis both grounded out to Jeff McNiel at second, before Johan Comargo did the same, making all of Rob Gsellman’s outs grounders to Jeff McNeil.

Offense:

The Mets were set up in the second after Todd Frazier got hit by a pitch and Jeff McNeil doubled him over to third. Amed Rosario drove him in after he hit a slow chopper on which Dansby Swanson threw to first to get the sure out and Frazier scored on. Kevin Plawecki then gave one a ride, but nothing came of it.

The Mets remained quiet through the third, fourth, and fifth, scoring no runs.

The Mets got two runners on with two runners on to start the sixth, and then Jeff McNeil ripped a liner into right, but Michael Conforto had a miscue on the bags and had to hold at third.

Austin Jackson singled off of Shane Carle‘s heel, moving everyone up a bag, and driving in Conforto. After an Amed Rosario strike out, Kevin Plaweki drove in Frazier with a sac-fly to left field. Wheeler grounded out to Freddie Freeman to end the threat.

Johnny Venters retired the Mets in order in the seventh after striking out Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto for the first and third outs respectively.

Jeff McNeil singled in the bottom of the eighth to record his fourth hit of the game, his first tour hit game of his career. Austin Jackson singled for the second time, putting one over Freddie Freeman’s head, allowing Jeff McNeil go first to third. With two out, Kevin Plaweki struck out looking on a 3-2 pitch.