MMO Game Thread: Mets vs Braves, 1:35 PM

The Mets will look to complete a sweep of their three-game series against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday at Turner Field, something they haven’t done since since 2007. Jacob deGrom (8-6, 2.68) will get the starting assignment for the Mets while the Braves counter with RHP Ervin Santana (14-9, 3.74) in a 1:35 PM matchup.

In his last start, deGrom tied the modern-era major league record with eight consecutive strikeouts on September 15 against the Miami Marlins, tying Jim Deshaies of the Houston Astros who set the mark in 1986 against the Dodgers.

DeGrom established a rookie franchise record hurling 67.1 innings without allowing a home run earlier this year and has surrendered two home runs over his last 16 starts spanning 103.1 innings. he leads all NL rookies in strikeouts (134) and ERA (2.68) and is second with eight wins.

Second baseman Dilson Herrera went 2-for-3 and hit a two-run homer in the second inning last night, but came up lame in the sixth while legging out a single and left the game with what the team is calling a right quad strain.

Daniel Murphy will continue to start at third base while Herrera is out, while Wilmer Flores will shift to second base and Ruben Tejada starts at shortstop, Terry Collins told reporters on Saturday.

Rafael Montero will get another start during the team’s final series of the season against the Houston Astros at Citi Field. Montero tossed 5.1 scoreless innings against the Rockies in his last start on September 10. He is 1-3 with a 4.30 ERA in seven starts and two relief appearances.

Lucas Duda is third in the NL with a career-high 28 home runs and is tied for second in the NL and fifth in the majors with 14 home runs since the All-Star break. Duda extended his career-high with 86 RBI which is tied for ninth in the NL. He leads the team with 11 game-winning RBIs.

Jenrry Mejia has converted nine straight saves including last night and is 27-for-30 in save chances since moving to the bullpen on May 12. He is tied for first in the NL and ranks third in the majors with 17 saves since the All-Star break.

Wilmer Flores currently has a career high seven-game hitting streak, going 11-28 (.393) with three home runs and 10 RBI. He is hitting .266 (17-64) with 10 runs scored, four doubles, one triple, four home runs and 12 RBI in 16 games this month. Flores is tied for fourth in the NL with his four home runs this month, ranks ninth in RBIs and is tied for sixth with nine extra-base hits in September.

Starting Lineup

Matt den Dekker – LF
Wilmer Flores – 2B
Daniel Murphy – 3B
Lucas Duda – 1B
Curtis Granderson – RF
Kirk Nieuwenhuis – CF
Anthony Recker – C
Ruben Tejada – SS
Jacob deGrom – RHP

The Mets do not have much wiggle room for the last week of the season if they want to finish at .500 and so far they’ve been handling that fact well in Atlanta taking the first two games of the season. Yesterday they got a strong start from Jon Niese and some power from Dilson Herrera and Curtis Granderson. Today they look to complete the sweep behind Jacob deGrom as he squares off against Ervin Santana.

Jacob deGrom is 8-6 over 21 games and 134.1 innings this year with a 2.68 ERA. His last start of 3 ER over 7 innings doesn’t show that he struck out the first 8 batters in the game, tying a major league record. On the season, he has 134 K’s. In two starts against the Braves this season he has allowed 3 ER over 12.0 innings with a 2.25 ERA and 19 K’s. The Braves have the following numbers against deGrom:

Freeman, 1-5
Heyward 3-6
Simmons 1-5
BJ Upton 3-5
J Upton 1-6, 4 K’s
Bethancourt 0-5, 3 K’s

The Mets bats will get another look at Ervin Santana who is wrapping up his first campaign with the Braves. On the season he is 14-9 over 29 games and 185.1 innings with a 3.74 ERA. After back to back poor starts to open up September allowing 10 runs, 9 earned over 11.0 innings in his last outing he allowed only 2 ER over 6.0 innings. He is 2-1 over 3 games against the Mets with a 2.05 ERA over 22.0 innings, 15 hits and 5 ER. The Mets have the following numbers against Braves: