With a chance to take sole possession of the first place for the NL Wild Card, the Mets were trying to avoid being swept by the lowly Braves. They found themselves in this precarious position after losing their second game in a row to the Atlanta Braves, the second worst team in baseball. Every game from here on out is of great importance, meaning the play Atlanta’s Ender Inciarte made on Wednesday could have a profound impact on the National League playoff picture.
Advertisement
Corey Kluber allowed two runs and struck out nine in 6 1/3 innings and Cleveland beat Kansas City to eliminate the reigning World Series champions from the AL Central race. Inciarte reached on an error in the eighth, scored the tying run, and won the game for the Braves by robbing Cespedes of a game winning three run homer. The 43-year-old Dominican owns a 1-1 mark versus Atlanta in three starts this season, but received a no-decision after permitting two homers and three runs total on September 10.
“I knew I hit the ball well”, Cespedes said through a translator. Dellin Betances got three outs for his 12th save.
I’m not even going to go into the idea Terry should have pinch hit with someone like Matt Reynolds because even though Eric Campbell came through, Reynolds is a vastly superior hitter than Soup. Colon surrendered a one-out single to Nick Markakis, followed by a two-run blast to ex-Met Anthony Recker, trimming the Mets’ lead to 3-2. “I caught the ball, and I knew I had it, but the fans were waiting until I took it out of the glove”.
Ageless right-hander Bartolo Colon (14-7, 3.14 ERA) will look to serve as the stopper for the Mets. He struck out Yoenis Cespedes with a runner on first to end it, fooling the slugger badly with a sharp curve. The Mets went into Wednesday night’s game tied in the race for the National League’s top wild card spot.
Some didn’t think the Braves would win 60 games in 2016 so this is an accomplishment.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals face the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates and the Giants face the San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Freddie Freeman extended his hitting streak to a career-best 25 games and has reached base safely in 41 straight for Atlanta.
Teheran (6-10) gave up five hits and left with a four-run lead.
Robert Gsellman (2-2) lost in his fifth major league start. We plan on having to fight for everything we got.
Braves: RHP Mike Foltynewicz, out for more than a week after being hit on the left calf by a line drive, could throw a bullpen session in the next couple of days. Interim manager Brian Snitker would like to see him make a couple of limited starts before the season ends.
Advertisement
Adding to all of this is a start for Steven Matz, probably opening the Phillies series Friday night, and with his track record of shoulder tightness who knows what to expect. They were so desperate for one win in three against the Braves that Collins went to Jeurys Familia for a five-out save, which the closer was unable to get. INF Wilmer Flores (right wrist) remained out of the lineup and is not expected to play Thursday night against Philadelphia. RHP Jacob deGrom had season-ending surgery to reposition the ulnar nerve in his right elbow and is expected to be ready for spring training next year, the team said.RF Curtis Granderson was shaken up after banging into the retaining wall while catching a foul fly in the seventh.
