The Sports Xchange
Sep 15, 2017
ATLANTA -- The Braves beat the New York Mets in Atlanta for just the sixth time in the past 22 games on Friday, as the bullpen preserved a 3-2 victory for left-hander Sean Newcomb after the rookie took a hard-luck home loss to the same team in his major league debut.
Nick Markakis and Rio Ruiz each had two hits and Ozzie Albies extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a double as the Braves won for the seventh time in their last nine games.
Newcomb (3-8) allowed six hits and two runs in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out eight, including five in a row during the fourth and fifth innings, and walked one while throwing 81 pitches.
Newcomb held the Mets to four hits and an unearned run over 6 1/3 innings in his major league debut June 10, but took the loss.
Dan Winkler got Juan Lagares to hit into a bases-loaded double play after replacing Newcomb with the bases loaded in the sixth, starting the good work by the Braves' bullpen.
Arodys Vizcaino picked up his 11th save in 13 opportunities for the Braves (67-79), overcoming a one-out walk and a lengthy video-review delay that let stand the second out of the inning on a force at second base.
Mets starter Rafael Montero (5-10) gave up six hits and the three runs in 4 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking two.
Astrubal Cabrera had three hits, including a double, and a walk for the Mets (63-84)
The Braves scored twice in the fifth inning to take a 3-2 lead, knocking out a laboring Montero after 107 pitches.
David Freitas' leadoff double was the first of three hits in the inning, with Ender Inciarte getting the first RBI with a single and Lane Adams delivering a tie-breaking sacrifice fly.
The Braves scored first in the second inning on a pair of singles and a ground out, but the Mets matched the run in the third and went ahead in the fourth.
A leadoff double by Gavin Cecchini led to the third-inning run and doubles by Cabrera and Dominic Smith produce the run in the fourth.
NOTES: Braves LF Matt Kemp left the game after four innings because of left hamstring tightness. ... Mets RHP Noah Syndergaard, out since the end of April with a lat tear, could return with a limited pitch count soon after a successful bullpen side session Thursday at full speed. "We'll see how he is and then make the next step, whether it's another bullpen or use him in a game," Mets manager Terry Collins said. ... Braves C Tyler Flowers is nursing a bruised left hand suffered when he was hit by a pitch for the 19th time Wednesday. He will be out of the lineup for the Mets series. ... SS Amed Rosario (tight right hip flexor) and C Travis d'Arnaud (twisted right knee) are listed as day-to-day by the Mets and didn't play Friday. ... Braves manager Brian Snitker said RHP Mike Foltynewicz will probably miss a start because of a cut on the tip of his right index finger suffered Thursday in a loss at Washington. ... The Braves activated RHP Jason Mott (right oblique strain) from the 10-day disabled list. ... RHP Jacob deGrom (14-9, 3.63 ERA) will start Saturday's middle game of the series for the Mets against RHP R.A. Dickey (9-9, 4.28 ERA) for the Braves.