Mets Game 147: Win Over Braves
Mets 5 Braves 0
The rookie came up big.
The sleepy Mets bats woke up in the nightcap, pounding Braves starter and loser JoJo Reyes for four runs in the first two innings. David Wright delivered the initial blow, a two-run homer to score Jose Reyes, and Fernando Tatis singled in Carlos Beltran only minutes later to give the Mets a quick 3-0 advantage. Jose Reyes blasted a solo homer in the second frame, giving rookie Jon Niese an early four-run cushion in his second big league start.
Niese then mowed down the Braves for eight innings, allowing only six hits, two walks, and striking out seven, in a fairly efficient 116-pitch effort. Luis Ayala preserved the young lefty’s first big league win by pitching a perfect ninth. The win kept the Mets 2.5 games above the Phillies, who won earlier in the day.
Notes
Carlos Beltran also homered, smashing a solo shot in the seventh. Beltran was 3-for-4, and also stroked a double and stole a base. He’s seven for his last seventeen, with a 1.209 OPS over the last four games.
Tatis also went 3-for-4.
Next Game
The rubber match will be played on Sunday at 1:10 pm. Oliver Perez takes the hill against Jorge Campillo. Ollie needs to shake his recent Mr. Hyde episodes and get back on track.
Niese has a honey of a curveball. Reminds me of a certain pitcher whose father wanted him to sign with the Mets, but he thought the Mets were “arrogant” and he has stunk since. Said pitcher also dropped his arm angle a bit on said curveball, and the curve started flattening out–and flying out (of the park) on the way back.
Boy, am I glad that Fred Wilpon kept him! I think he’s earned another start . . .
Joe: please note that ever since CB got here, the automatic choker sign the Mets wore is gone. CB has had a pretty notable hand in sujecting the Braves to a rebuilding’ period. Starting with the 2004 post season.
But on a more nostalgic note, I thoroughly enjoyed my final trip to Shea. I’m going to miss that “dump,” even though I always thought it was a beautiful place to watch a game. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, I presume. But at the same time I am looking forward to Citifield, with roomier seats and no more criss-crossing bars separating the field box sections. More than anything, though, I’m looking forward to the rest of this season. There is definitely a special energy with this team now…much different than last year at this time. And I should know – I went to a game last September in which the Mets got drubbed by the Phillies. There IS something different about this year. It may not be tangible, but it is most certainly real. How long it lasts…well, that’s the question.
LETS GO METS
Did I unintentionally supply the jinx?