The Mets (34-30) defeated the Atlanta Braves (30-33) this afternoon at Citi Field by a score of 10-8, obtaining the series victory.
Dillon Gee and Mike Foltynewicz opposed each other in the rubber match of the series, and neither starter fared very well.
Gee only managed to pitch 3 and 2/3rd’s innings, allowing eight earned runs on eleven hits, while walking one and striking out four. Thankfully for him, the Mets offense bailed him out, giving him a no decision.
After being given a five run lead at one point, Foltynewicz couldn’t make a case to stay in the game, as he kept letting the Mets keep the game within reach. He went 4 and 1/3rd’s innings, allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits, while striking out three and walking one.
The game started off with Jace Peterson hitting a single to left field on the first pitch he saw from Dillon Gee. Peterson then stole second base, and came around to score on a single from Freddie Freeman to give Atlanta an early 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first, Curtis Granderson hit a single, then went first to third after Juan Lagares hit a single of his own. Two batters later, with Travis d’Arnaud at the plate, a ball kicked off Braves’ catcher Christian Bethancourt‘s glove and went to the backstop, forcing in Granderson to tie the game for the Mets.
Gee gave the lead right back to Atlanta in the second, after Kelly Johnson doubled to lead off the inning, and advanced to third on a Christian Bethancourt single. Jace Peterson then promptly cleared the bases, launching only his second home run of the year over the right field fence.
Ruben Tejada doubled in the bottom of the second with one out, but the Mets couldn’t score him to chip away at the lead, as the next two batters were retired to end the frame.
The Braves tacked on another run in the third inning. After Freddie Freeman flew out, Nick Markakis and Juan Uribe had back-to-back hits to put runners on first and second with only one out. Markakis then scored on a Kelly Johnson single. 5-1 Atlanta.
In the bottom of the third, the Mets loaded the bases, and with Wilmer Flores at the plate, Mike Foltynewicz threw a wild pitch, and Juan Lagares attempted to score from third. Unfortunately for him, it’s a short backstop at Citi Field, and the ball bounced straight back to Christian Bethancourt, who applied the tag to Lagares, who was called out at the plate.
With runners on second and third now and Flores still at the plate, Wilmer inside-outed a ball to right field, scoring two runs, but being thrown out at second on the play, ending the inning.
Dillon Gee was chased from the game in the fourth inning, as after Jace Peterson who was a thorn in the Mets side all day, hit a double and Freddie Freeman was intentionally walked, Nick Markakis hit a ground rule double, and Juan Uribe hit a single to plate two more for Atlanta.
Gee was replaced by Alex Torres, who surrendered a hit to Kelly Johnson, scoring Markakis from third, and giving the Braves an 8-3 lead. He did manage to get out of the inning, getting Andrelton Simmons to ground into a fielder’s choice.
The Mets attempted to crawl back in the fourth, as Darrell Ceciliani and Dilson Herrera hit a pair of solo home runs to get the Mets within three runs.
Sean Gilmartin, the Braves’ former first round pick, came on in the fifth and was surely a breath of fresh air for the Mets. He pitched two clean innings, and did just what the doctor ordered, keeping the game within reach for the Amazin’s.
Travis d’Arnaud hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth after Lucas Duda singled, and ended Mike Foltynewicz’s day.
Then in the sixth inning, Michael Cuddyer pinched hit for Sean Gilmartin and dunked one into center field. Curtis Granderson singled immediately after, and Juan Lagares launched the fourth Mets home run of the day, and giving the Mets the lead for the first time in the game, putting them up 10-8, a lead that they would hold on to for the remainder of the game.
Bobby Parnell pitched a 1,2,3 seventh inning, and Jeurys Familia replaced Hansel Robles in the eighth after Cameron Maybin singled, and the very dangerous Freddie Freeman coming to the plate.
Familia got Freeman to hit a ball up the middle, and Dilson Herrera made a fantastic diving play, and flipped it over to Wilmer Flores at second, who squeezed it, and recorded the out. If you didn’t see it, you should definitely check it out here, as it may have been was the best play of the year from the Mets middle infield.
The new father, Jeury Familia, then sealed the win for the Mets in the ninth, earning his nineteenth save of the year.
Thoughts:
In what was a truly heartbreaking loss yesterday, it seemed very certain that the Mets were going to get blown out in this one, as Dillon Gee was roughed up yet again. But, the Mets didn’t get discouraged, as they kept managing to claw back and eventually take the lead, as everyone contributed to get the series victory for the Mets. I would also like to add that Darrell Ceciliani has started to play very well, Sean Gilmartin has been a revelation out of the bullpen, Curtis Granderson is quietly heating up, Dilson Herrera has reminded the Mets what good defense looks like at second, and Jeurys Familia is this team’s MVP, and it’s not even a question. This offense has look revitalized and confident since d’Arnaud and Herrera have returned, and they’re going to need it, as they begin a four game series with the best offensive team in baseball starting tomorrow.
On deck:
Noah Syndergaard (2-4, 4.15 ERA) takes on Mark Buehrle (7-4, 4.25 ERA) tomorrow night. First pitch is at 7:10 PM.
