The Mets had their opportunity but did not capitalize on what they did so often and well starting in late July.
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Rookie right-hander Matt Wisler stopped his nine-start winless drought and the Atlanta Braves stalled the New York Mets’ push toward the NL East title with a 6-2 victory last night. It’s the 13th time this season that the Braves have failed to score a run for Miller. Collins said he would probably be back in the lineup Wednesday, but there is concern the catcher is slumping at the wrong time… Asked if it meant more to get the skid-stopping win as the elder statesmen of the staff – he has made 167 starts for the Mets, 36 fewer than the rest of the starters combined – Niese offered a nervous laugh. “That’s a big goal for us”. They saw their magic number shrink to six with Washington’s 4-1 loss to Baltimore, but they need to get their bats in gear. But Granderson scored when Braves second baseman Daniel Castro could not throw to first after he was toppled by Cespedes’ hard slide.
The Braves produced what for them was a rarity, a two-homer, four-run inning.
The only home run he’s allowed to Atlanta this year was to Jonny Gomes, who is now with Kansas City. Edwin Jackson, Atlanta’s fourth pitcher of the inning, gave up a sacrifice fly to pinch-hitter Michael Cuddyer and got Wilmer Flores on a grounder to protect the lead.
Sean Gilmartin and Hansel Robles had given the Mets three scoreless innings, but in the ninth Tyler Clippard served up a 1-2 changeup that Adonis Garcia roped for a two-RBI pinch-hit double to essentially end the game.
“We’ve got to play better”, Collins said. Colon’s been especially tough on the Braves going 8-2 for his career with a 2.55 ERA. However, he has a 3.79 ERA in three starts since a brief demotion to the bullpen.
“At the end of the day, where I sit with myself and where my stuff is and where my year is, it’s been good”, Miller said. Miller, who is 5-16 despite a 3.00 ERA, allowed two runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out three and throwing a season-high 113 pitches. He walked one and struck out three in his 75-pitch outing. The New York Mets have lost five of their last seven home games.
The Mets lead the Nationals by 6 1/2 games, but they opened the homestand with a 9 1/2-game advantage.
“We needed this one bad”, manager Terry Collins said. “We should have been quite relaxed with the lead we had”.
NOTES: The Braves recorded two of the oddest outs of the season Tuesday.
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Collins, 67, is in his fifth season with the Mets and in his 11th overall as a big league manager. After a single by Michael Bourn and a two out intentional walk issued to Nick Markakis, the Braves cashed in with a 3-run shot off the bat of Hector Olivera to make it 4-1 Atlanta. Uribe was injured diving for a ball Sunday night. Mets RHP Jacob deGrom, whose start was skipped Tuesday, will return to the rotation Sunday when New York plays the finale of a four-game series against the Cincinnati Reds. DeGrom has a 6.31 ERA in his last five starts…. Mets bench coach Bob Geren turned 54 Tuesday.
