The New York Mets (75-67) were defeated by the Atlanta Braves (55-87) by a score of 4-3 at Turner Field Saturday evening. With a Cardinals win, the Mets fall a half-game behind the Cardinals for the second wild-card spot.
Pitching:
Bartolo Colon was on the hill for the Mets tonight and he pitched a good game. Colon was a little up and down but ultimately gave the team what they needed. Colon went six innings giving up three runs while walking one and striking out two.
In the bottom of the first inning, Ender Inciarte started the Braves off with a double. After an Adonis Garcia walk, Freddie Freeman grounded into a force out that moved Inciarte to third. Matt Kemp then hit a sacrifice fly to bring in the early run and cut the Mets lead to 2-1.
In the top of the fourth inning, Nick Markakis tacked on with a solo home run to tie the game at two runs apiece. Matt Kemp was able to do the same in the bottom of the sixth to knot the game once again 3-3.
Fernando Salas and Addison Reed were each able to pitch scoreless innings in the 7th and 8th innings.
Hansel Robles and Jerry Blevins combined to pitch a scoreless inning in the bottom of the ninth.
Erik Goeddel came on for the Mets in the bottom of the tenth and he was very shaky. Dansby Swanson lead off the inning with a single to center field. Goeddel then threw a wild pitch to put Swanson on second. A.J. Pierzynski was next and he hit a single just passed Asdrubal Cabrera to put runners on the corners with no out. Goeddel and Josh Smoker were able to get two straight outs but Adonis Garcia was able to squeak one through the infield to win the game for the Braves.
Offense:
In the top of the first inning, the Mets put two runs on the board without recording a hit. The Mets were able to capitalize on two fielding errors from the Braves.
In the top of the fifth inning, Yoenis Cespedes broke a 2-2 tie by belting his 29th home run of the to left-center field.
In the top of the eighth inning with two out, the Braves foolishly kept a left-handed pitcher in to face Wilmer Flores. Flores crushed a double off the top of the wall to make things interesting for the Mets. T.J. Rivera was called in to pinch hit and laced a single into right field in what should have brought in the go-ahead run.
Flores was thrown out at home colliding with A.J. Pierzynski on a headfirst slide. Flores was shaken up and had to leave the game. It was a very questionable move leaving Flores in to run so late in the game with an expanded bench.
Notes:
The Mets snapped a six-game winning streak with the loss.
Jacob deGrom threw 10 pitches off the mound in Atlanta today, deGrom said, “I want to be out there”.
On Deck:
The Mets will play their third game of a three-game set with the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field tomorrow afternoon. The game has a start time of 1:35 PM. Seth Lugo (3-2, 2.38 ERA), will look to take the series for the Mets against Williams Perez (2-2, 5.47 ERA).
