Travis Taijeron Drives In A Pair
The New York Mets beat the Atlanta Braves by a score of 7-5 this afternoon in a sun-drenched Tradition Field for the second win of the Spring.
Offense
ICYMI | Watch @ynscspds *whisper* one off his bat to bring across the first run of today’s game vs. Atlanta. #LGMhttps://t.co/eEPfDR5M6K
— New York Mets (@Mets) March 6, 2016
La Potencia Yoenis Cespedes got the Mets on the board with an RBI single in the first inning. Meanwhile outfielder Alejandro De Aza had himself a great game going 2-3 with a double and a run scored in the 1st and an RBI single in the 2nd. Daniel Muno later scored on an error to make it 3-0 Mets after two innings.
With the bases loaded in the fifth, Johnny Monell walked to make it 4-0, but it was outfielder Travis Taijeron who had the big hit with a 2-RBI single to put the game at 6-0. He went 2-4 with two RBI and a run scored. Taijeron packs some big-time power. If he can stop chasing balls out of the zone watch out.
Raywilly Gomez drove in the final run of the game with an RBI single in the eighth. I love that name!
Pitching
Sean Gilmartin started for the Mets and pitched three strong innings, allowing no runs and scattering four hits while striking out two. Stolmy Pimentel followed that up with two more scoreless innings. They both looked pretty good.
However, right-hander Chasen Bradford had himself a rough day, allowing the Braves to get on the board with four runs in the sixth. He wasn’t fooling anyone as the Braves ripped him for six hits in his one inning of work. Two nice defensive plays by shortstop Matt Reynolds contained the damage. Akeel Morris allowed a fifth Braves run to score and suddenly things started to look dicey.
But Jim Henderson and Addison Reed saved the day. They closed the game out, each pitching a perfect 1-2-3 frame to end the game, with Addy getting the save. If you read my Spring Preview Henderson along with Josh Smoker are my two dark horse candidates to win a job in the bullpen.
Up Next
On Monday, the Mets have a pair of split-squad games against the Tigers in Port St. Lucie and the Cardinals in Jupiter. Bartolo Colon will pitch at home while Steven Matz faces the Cards on the road. Both games start at 1:05 PM, one on WOR the other on SNY.
