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Mets Game Recap: Colon wins 9th, and Flores hits 10th in Mets 5-3 victory over Braves

By Michael Lecolant

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The Flushing Nine welcomed the Atlanta Braves to Citi Field Friday evening for Game One of a weekend series.

Bartolo Colon climbed the mound, and was opposed by Atlanta’s Alex Wood.

The Mets rode a 2nd inning home run by Wilmer Flores until the 4th inning, when John Mayberry Jr.’s 2-run clout gave the Mets a 3-0 lead.

Jun 12, 2015; New York City, NY, USA;New York Mets shortstop

Wilmer Flores

(4) rounds the bases after his homer in the second inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

The Braves closed the gap with 4 hits and 2 runs off Colon in the top of the 5th, with pitcher Alex Wood picking up an RBI.

The Mets scored a pivotal insurance run in the 6th, as the Braves manufactured a run in the 7th making it a 4-3 game. But, the emerging bat of Michael Cuddyer put the Mets back up by a pair again with an RBI double in the 7th.

Jeurys Familia entered in the 9th, and made the final three outs an uncomfortable affair, but nonetheless closed out the Mets 5-3 victory over the Braves, and notched his 18 save of the season.

Mets Starting Lineup:

1) Curtis Granderson-RF; 2) Juan Lagares-CF; 3) Michael Cuddyer-1B; 4) Wilmer Flores-SS; 5) John Mayberry Jr.-LF; 6) Dilson Herrera-2B; 7) Eric Campbell-3B; 8) Anthony Recker-C; 9) Bartolo Colon-SP.

Game Recap:

Bartolo Colon retired the first 6 batters to oppose him.

In the bottom of the 2nd, Wilmer Flores rewarded Colon with his 10th home run of the season, which landed in the waiting hands of a Mets fan situated in the first row of the Party City deck in left/center.

Bartolo Colon hit Jonny Gomes leading off the top of the 3rd, becoming Atlanta’s first base runner of the game.

  • After 3 innings pitched, Bartolo faced one batter over the minimum.  He threw 34 pitches with 26 (76%) going for strikes, allowed no runs, no hits, no walks, hit a batter, and fanned one.

With 1-out in the top of the 4th, first baseman Freddie Freeman stroked the Braves first hit of the evening the opposite way to left.

The Mets extended their lead against Alex Wood in the home 4th.  With 1-out, Wilmer Flores drew a walk.  Then  John Mayberry Jr. promptly clubbed the Mets second home run into the Party City deck.  Dilson Herrera followed with a double down the left field line, but was left stranded at third.

Bartolo Colon got into trouble in the 5th.  Catcher A.J. Pierzynski led-off with a single, and Jonny Gomes followed suit.  Andrelton Simmons then punched a single through the first base hole loading the bases.  With no outs, pitcher Alex Wood worked the count full, then grounded softly to short.  Wilmer Flores momentarily bobbled the ball, but got the force play at second, Pierzynski scored.  Second baseman Jace Peterson then scorched a Colon offering off the right field wall to plate Gomes, and make it a 3-2 game.  With 2-outs and the bases reloaded, right fielder Nick Markakis tapped a come-backer to Colon ending the threat.

Leading off the top of the 6th, third baseman Juan Uribe just missed a home run off Colon, and settled for a double off an indented right/center field wall instead.  With 1-out, Colon fanned Jonny Gomes.  The Mets then intentionally walked Andrelton Simmons in order to pitch to Wood.  With 2-outs, the Braves starter chopped yet another come-backer to Colon, ending yet another threat.

The Mets rallied in the home 6th off Alex Wood.  John Mayberry Jr. reached with an infield single.  Dilson Herrera then walked.  Both runners advanced on a botched Alex Wood pick-off attempt at second base.  Eric Campbell‘s grounder to short scored Mayberry from third, while Herrera held at second.  But, with 2-outs Anthony Recker fanned to end the frame.

  • Through 6 innings pitched, Bartolo Colon reached 100 pitches with 65 going for strikes.  He allowed 2 earned runs on 6 hits and 2 walks, and fanned 3 batters.  He exited on the winning side of a 4-2 game.

Alex Torres entered the game in the top of the 7th in relief of Bartolo Colon, and quickly allowed a base hit to Peterson,  and a walk to Cameron Maybin.  Freddie Freeman then stood in against the Mets’ southpaw, and drew another 4-pitch walk to load the bases.  Coach Collins again stayed with the lefty/lefty match-up against Nick Markakis, whom bounced into a 4-6-3 double play, with Jace Peterson scoring on the play.  Carlos Torres then relieved Alex Torres.  With 2-outs, Juan Uribe was retired on a come-backer to the mound.

Pinch hitting, Darrell Ceciliani singled to open the bottom of the 7th.  Curtis Granderson then struck out for the third time against Alex Wood.

  • Wood was relieved after pitching to Granderson.  In 6.1 innings, he threw 107 pitches, allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 6 hits and 4 walks, and fanned 6 batters.

On reliever David Aardsma‘s first offering to Juan Lagares, Darrell Ceciliani stole second base.  Lagares then flied to deep right, Ceciliani tagged and advanced to third.  With 2-outs, Michael Cuddyer struck a well placed double to left scoring Ceciliani, giving the Mets a 5-3 lead.

Jeurys Familia entered the game in the 9th.  With 1-out, Familia walked Jace Peterson, and surrendered a base hit to Cameron Maybin.  Freddie Freeman then walked to load the bases.  But, Nick Markakis bounced into a 4-6-3 double play to end the game, and preserve the Mets 5-3 victory.

It took more sweat than anticipated, but Jeurys Familia closed out the Braves for his 18th save of the season.

Scoring Summary:

  • Bottom 6th inning – John Mayberry reached on an infield single.  Dilson Herrera walked.  The runners advanced on an E-1 pick-off attempt.  Eric Campbell‘s ground out to short scored Mayberry from third.

Final Score:

  • Braves 3; METS 5

Highlights:

  • Bartolo Colon hit his first batter (Jonny Gomes) of the season in the 3rd.  He also registered 94-mph fastball in the 6th inning against Gomes (thought to be his best fastball of the season).  Colon entered the game with a league leading 0.7 W/9 average, and a 10.17  SO/W ratio.  He walked one batter Friday, raising his season total to 7 in 81.2 innings pitched.  Colon improved his season record to 9-4, which ties him for the MLB lead in victories, and lowered his ERA from 4.52, to a 4.41 mark.
  • Wilmer Flores batted clean-up for the first time this season.  He went 1 for 3, with a walk, home run, and 2 runs scored.  Now with 10 home runs, he is tied with Jhonny Peralta for most home runs by a shortstop.
  • Darrell Ceciliani factored nicely off the bench, with his glove, at the plate, and on the base paths.
  • The Mets executed three crucial double-plays in the game’s final three innings.
  • The Mets improved their record to 33-29, and 23-10 at home.  They entered Friday evening one-half game in front of the Washington Nationals, whom were in action against the Milwaukee Brewers (in progress).  The Brewers were leading 8-4 in the 8th.  With a Brewers victory, the Mets would extend their N.L. East lead by 1.5 games over the Nats.

Next:

6/13 – Saturday, 4:10pm

Braves @ METS

Shelby Miller vs. Jacob deGrom

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