The Mets were knocked out for the second time in three games against the Atlanta Braves and were swept in Saturday’s doubleheader.
Here are the takeaways…
– From the start of the game it was an old-fashioned pitching duel between Jose Quintana And Spencer Stepper. Matching outs for the first four innings, both pitchers had everything going from the first pitch.
Quintana retired the first 10 batters he faced earlier Ozzie Albies singled in the fourth inning. A stolen base and a walk put Quintana in his first jam of the night, but the southpaw caused a double play to batter left-handed Matt Olson that ended the inning.
– On the other hand, Strider gave up a single Brandon Nimmo to lead the game, but was nails afterwards. With a runner on second and one out in the inning, the Mets again couldn’t come up with the big hit and let Strider escape an early runscoring opportunity.
– The Mets also got the first batter on the field in the second inning, but again couldn’t score a run. In fact, Strider allowed the first batter to reach base in the first three innings (twice on a walk), and each time he escaped trouble.
– The first run of the game came in the top of the fifth inning. After falling out Travis d’Arnaud to start the frame, Quintana allowed a line drive double to left field Marcel Ozuna who advanced to third base on a flyout. Opposite former Met Kevin Pillar – Atlanta’s No. 8 batter – With two outs, veteran Quintana had an opportunity to get out of the inning, but after a seven-pitch at bat, Pillar singled into centerfield to break the scoreless tie.
– New York got another chance to score in the bottom half of the frame after Nimmo doubled towards the left field line with two outs, only the team’s second hit of the night (both by Nimmo). Francisco Lindor promptly ran into foul territory and the Mets were left with nothing.
– Quintana’s last inning came in the sixth when he loaded the bases with a single and two walks, but got out without giving up a run. For the fourth straight start, Quintana went at least six innings and allowed only one earned run on four hits, three walks and three strikeouts. He cut his ERA to 3.03 and was the unlucky loser in the game after New York was unable to give him run support. He is still looking for his first win with the Mets.
– After Trevor Gott pitched a scoreless seventh inning, Drew Smith came to pitch the eighth inning and it didn’t go well, no thanks to his defense. Albies led off the inning with a hit batter and went on to score Austin Rileyfielder’s choice that just passed Danny Mendic rather on second base Tim Loastro started the ball in midfield allowing the run to score. Smith then allowed a two-run double to Ozuna to make it 4–0, Braves, effectively ending New York’s chance for a comeback.
– The Mets got runners on second and third base with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, but failed to score.
– Albies added a two-run homer in the ninth inning Phil Bickford to cap it off, as Atlanta beat the Mets 34-3 in the first three games of the series.
Highlights
What’s next
The Mets and Braves finish their four-game set on Sunday Night Baseball starting at 7:10 p.m
RHP Koda Senga places for New York, opposed by RHP Yonny Chirinos.
