Mets Game Recap: Physical and mental errors cost Mets in Atlanta

After winning their first series of the new season over the Washington Nationals, the Mets arrived in Atlanta to begin a 3-game weekend series against the Braves.

The start of Friday’s game, however, was delayed 74-minutes by heavy rain. The call to Play Ball! was finally made at 8:51pm.

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Southpaw Jon Niese climbed the mound for the visiting Mets, and was opposed by Atlanta’s Eric Stults.

Mets Starting Lineup:

1) Curtis Granderson-RF; 2) David Wright-3B; 3) John Mayberry Jr.-LF; 4) Michael Cuddyer-1B; 5) Daniel Murphy-2B; 6) Juan Lagares-CF; 7) Travis d’Arnaud-C; 8) Wilmer Flores-SS; 9) Jon Niese-SP

Game Recap:

Apr 10, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves shortstop

Andrelton Simmons

(19) is tagged out by New York Mets catcher Travis d

The Mets were retired in order to start the game.

In the bottom of the 1st, Jon Niese surrendered a lead-off home run to center fielder Cameron Maybin. With 1-out, Nick Markakis reached on an E-6 by Wilmer Flores, and came around to score on consecutive singles by Freddie Freeman and Jonny Gomes. Both runners tagged and advanced on Chris Johnson‘s fly to right, but were stranded when catcher Christian Bethancourt grounded to short.

Atlanta’s Eric Stults retired his first 6 batters.

Shortstop Andrelton Simmons led-off the bottom of the 2nd with a stand-up double, advanced to third on a bunt, and was later thrown out at the plate by first baseman Michael Cuddyer while attempting to score.

Eric Stults retired the side in order again in the top of the 3rd.

Atlanta threatened again in the bottom of the 3rd. Jon Niese issued a 2-out walk to Jonny Gomes, then surrendered a double to Chris Johnson. Christian Bethancourt grounded to short, but Wilmer Flores threw wide of first base allowing Gomes to score.

Jon Niese through 3 innings: 5 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), 1 walk, 2 strikeouts, 1 home run. He threw 57 pitches, with 34 (60%) going for strikes.

The Mets finally struck in the top of the 4th. Curtis Granderson became the Mets first base runner with a lead-off walk. David Wright then connected on a prodigious home run over the left/center field wall to bring the Mets within a run. John Mayberry Jr. then followed with a game tying home run to left. Next, Cuddyer stroked the Mets third consecutive base hit, but was canceled-out on Daniel Murphy‘s double play grounder. Juan Lagares collected the Mets fourth hit of the inning, and (unwisely) advanced to third on Travis d’Arnaud‘s single to left. Wilmer Flores stepped in with 2-outs, but only managed a short fly to end the threat.

Jon Niese joined the hit parade with a lead-off single in the 5th.

The Braves loaded the bases against Jon Niese with 2-outs in the bottom of the 5th, but Andrelton Simmons lined out sharply to Granderson in right to end the threat.

Jon Niese through 5 innings: 7 hits, 3 runs (1 earned), 2 walks, 2 strikeouts, 1 home run. He threw 86 pitches, with 51 (59%) going for strikes. He exited the game with a no-decision.

In the bottom of the 6th reliever Erik Goeddel entered the game in relief of Jon Niese, and retired the side in order.

Lefty Sean Gilmartin relieved Erik Goeddel in the 7th inning. With 2-outs, Rafael Montero relieved Gilmartin.

In the top of the 8th, David Wright singled and stole second base, but was stranded in scoring position.

Rafael Montero returned to start the bottom of the 8th. Chris Johnson turned a flair to shallow center field into a lead-off double. With 1-out, David Wright made a costly decision. He fielded a grounder hit by Andrelton Simmons, but failed at an attempted tag on Johnson advancing to third. With no one covering second base, Simmons also advanced. The Mets then loaded the bases with an intentional walk. Rafael Montero fanned Cameron Maybin with a 95mph fastball for the second out. But, with the count full, second baseman Phil Gosselin lined a single up the middle to plate a pair of go-ahead runs.

Jerry Blevins entered the game in relief of Rafael Montero to end the frame.

With 2-outs in the top of the 9th, pinch hitter Lucas Duda fanned with a runner on first.

The Atlanta Braves captured the series opener by a 5-3 final score.

Rafael Montero was credited with the loss.

The Mets record dropped to 2-2 on the young season. The Braved improved to 4-0.

Scoring Summary:

Bot 1st inn – Center fielder Cameron Maybin hit a lead-off home run to center field. Nick Markakis reached on an E-6. Freddie Freeman singled. Jonny Gomes singled home Markakis to give the Braves a 2-0 lead.

Bot 3rd inn – Jonny Gomes drew a 2-out walk. Chris Johnson doubled. An E-6 off the bat of Christian Bethancourt scored Gomes to give the Braves a 3-0 lead.

Top 4th inn – Curtis Granderson drew a lead-off walk. David Wright homered to deep left/center. John Mayberry Jr. then homered into the left field seats tying the game at three.

Bot 8th inn – a lead-off bloop double by Chris Johnson. Andrelton Simmons reached safely on a fielder’s choice. An intentional walk loaded the bases. With 2-outs, Phil Gosselin’s single scored Johnson and Simmons to give the Braves a 5-3 lead.

FINAL – Mets 3; BRAVES 5

Highlights:

The Braves are celebrating their 50th year of baseball in Atlanta this season. Hank Aaron was in the house!

With a lefty pitching for Atlanta, Lucas Duda sat this game out while John Mayberry Jr. started in left field, and Michael Cuddyer shifted to first base. Mayberry homered to tie the game at three, while Cuddyer played a sharp first base. The club announced Lucas Duda will indeed sit out against left-hand pitching.

Renaissance Man – David Wright was 3 for 4; he lined a pea to third in the 1st (for an out), launched a long home run in his 2nd time at bat, blooped a single in the 5th, and reached on an infield hit in the 8th (and stole second base).

Defensively, Travis d’Arnaud escaped being charged with a passed ball in the 1st; bounced a throw on an attempted steal, and recorded a put-out on a collision at the plate in the 2nd. In the 7th, he flashed poor glove work on a ball in the dirt (on a strike three tag). With the score still tied in the 8th, he bounced a pick-off throw to second.

Officially, Wilmer Flores committed 2 throwing errors in the game (3 throwing errors in his last 2 games), both of which led to unearned runs. In the 4th, Flores gloved a grounded ball in the hole and made a strong throw to first. In the 5th, another throw pulled Cuddyer off the bag, but Cuddyer made a tag to prevent an error. In the 6th, Flores bounced yet another throw handled by Cuddyer for a put-out.

Rule-5 acquisition Sean Gilmartin made his MLB debut

Thoughts:

The traditional game of baseball is based on pitching, timely hitting, and defense.

On this night, the Mets pitching seemed effective enough for the win. That being said, fastballs will only get Rafael Montero so far. At one point in the 8th inning, he threw 24 fastballs in a row, and obviously one too many against second baseman Phil Gosselin. The bullpen was otherwise fairly sharp. Jon Niese seemed to battle himself more than he did the Braves, but did well nonetheless.

After going hit-less their first time through the order, the Mets connected on their first 2 home runs of the season, and showed a measure of fight by tying the game. They had 8 hits and fanned 11 times. I’m just trying to be fair. We need the offense to be competitive, not overwhelming.

The defense, however, was sufficiently poor enough to lose.

Late in a tie game, should Juan Lagares have dived for Chris Johnson’s short fly, when it was quite clear he had no play? He’s a gold-glover, and so gets the pass on a mental error, this time. The Mets still could have potentially been charged with 5 errors, and in the 8th, they made 2 rather inexcusable mental errors. Wilmer Flores had a game I’m sure he’d rather forget, but the Mets timely hitting got him off the hook. In the end, it was David Wright’s decision to opt against a (potential) sure out at first base that ultimately cost the Mets the lead, and the game.

Next:

4/11 – Saturday

Mets @ Braves; 7:10pm

Dillon Gee vs. Julio Teheran

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