Braves vs. Mets Series Recap (7/22-7/25)
By Eric Graff
Game 1: Braves 2, Mets 1
Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
This game will forever be known as “The Heyward Catch” game. Jason Heyward made a spectacular full sprint, all-out diving, game saving catch in the bottom of the 9th with pounding rain to preserve the save for Craig Kimbrel and the comeback victory for the Braves. The Braves were shut out for the first 8 innings and were on their way to a crushing 1-0 defeat before they plated 2 runs in the top of the 9th of Mets closer Bobby Parnell. McCann and Gattis started off the 9th with singles and eventually scored on a ground out from Chris Johnson and a game winning single from Reed Johnson. It was nice justice that the Braves came back to avoid saddling Julio Teheran with the hard luck loss. Teheran pitched another great game going 6 innings and allowing only 1 run.
Game 2: Mets 4, Braves 1
Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
It was Star Wars night at Citi Field for the 2nd game of the series, and the Braves offense wasted scoring opportunity after scoring opportunity going 1-7 with RISP in just the first 4 innings. Andrelton Simmons homered on the 2nd pitch of the game for the Braves only run. Kris Medlen looked good starting off the game and pitched quite well in the first 5 innings, but the flood gates opened in the 6th and Medlen didn’t make it out of the inning and lost his 3rd straight start. The Braves ended up going 1-8 with RISP and left 9 men on base for the game. This one was frustrating.
Game 3: Braves 8, Mets 2
Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
I don’t even wanna recap this one. Everyone knows what happened. Hudson was pitching his best game of the season until he went to cover the first base bag with 2 outs in the 8th inning. Eric Young Jr stepped on Hudsons ankle and the rest is history. Hudsons ankle is broken and he will miss the remainder of the season. As for the rest of the game, the Braves offense was great. Gattis, Uggla and Simmons all homered, but the great game by the hitters was overshadowed by the cloud of Hudson’s injury. I think although it was Eric Young Jr that stepped on Hudson’s ankle, he earned a lot of new Braves fans with his great sportsmanship and the tears he shed as Hudson was being taken off the field.
Game 4: Mets 7, Braves 4
Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Alex Wood was making his 2nd Major League start in the 4th game of the series, but unfortunately for him the rest of the Braves were having a Hudson injury hangover. Wood, while not sharp, didn’t pitch too bad, but was a victim of bad luck, poor defense & a really bad umpiring call and didn’t make it out of the 5th inning. The Mets lucked out with bloop hits and bleeders all day and were aided by a David Wright tripe that should have been a double that led to a rare Fredi Gonzalez ejection. Errors by Gattis and Freeman didn’t help matters either. The Braves then punted a 4-4 game away by putting their worst reliever in and refusing to take him out. Dan the Man Uggla homered for the 2nd straight game and Freddie Freeman also added a homerun to tie the game up in the 6th before the failed Loe experiment.
The Braves finished their 7 game road trip to start the second half at 3-4. The season series between the Braves and the Mets is now even at 7-7 with 5 games remaining.