The Sports Xchange
Sep 25, 2017
NEW YORK -- Seth Lugo picked up the win by tossing six shutout innings Monday night, and Travis d'Arnaud homered and finished with two RBIs as the New York Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 to split a doubleheader at Citi Field.
The Braves won the opener 9-2 thanks to rookie right-hander Lucas Sims, who posted the victory after working a career-high 6 2/3 innings and delivering his first major league hit, a single, to jump-start Atlanta's three-run sixth inning.
The win in the nightcap snapped a three-game losing streak for the Mets (67-90), who have lost 90 games for the first time since 2009. The Braves (71-85) lost for the second time in six games.
Lugo (7-5) allowed just two hits and no walks while striking out seven in his second scoreless effort of the season.
Jeurys Familia notched his fifth save despite allowing two runs in the ninth, when Jace Peterson laced an RBI single and pinch hitter Matt Kemp produced a run-scoring groundout. Familia retired the potential go-ahead run, pinch hitter Tyler Flowers, for the final out.
The Mets scored twice in the third inning against rookie Braves left-hander Max Fried (1-1). Brandon Nimmo (3-for-4) led off with a single and went to third when Fried overthrew first base for a two-base error on Juan Lagares' grounder.
Asdrubal Cabrera followed with a run-scoring grounder to second before d'Arnaud laced an RBI double.
D'Arnaud provided an insurance run by leading off the eighth with a homer -- the Mets' team-record 219th of the season.
Kurt Suzuki had two hits for the Braves.
Fried allowed the two runs (one earned), seven hits and one walk while striking out two in 5 1/3 innings.
NOTES: The doubleheader, which was necessitated by a rainout at Citi Field on April 25, was the 43rd twin-bill between the Mets and Braves. ... Six players started both ends of the doubleheader: Braves CF Ender Inciarte, 2B Ozzie Albies, RF Nick Markakis and 3B/1B Rio Ruiz and Mets LF Brandon Nimmo and CF Juan Lagares. ... Mets C Kevin Plawecki made his first major league start at first base in the nightcap and went 0-for-3. ... Inciarte was 2-for-8 during the doubleheader and has 199 hits. He is trying to become the first Braves player with 200 hits since Marquis Grissom had 207 in 1996.