Mets 3, Braves 2 (Citi Field • Flushing, NY)
Mets Record: 54-48
Mets Streak: W4
Mets Last 10: 7-3
WP: Phil Maton (2-2)
LP: Pierce Johnson (3-2)
Seat On The Korner:
We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.
Today's Seat On The Korner goes to Jose Butto. The reliable starter turned trusted reliever pitched 3 hitless innings in relief against the hated Braves in front of 34,087 at Citi Field. Luis Severino was solid for 5 innings, but the first 3 Braves reached base in the sixth to chase the Mets starter and tie the game. Butto entered and pitched out of the jam and then tossed 2 more perfect innings. He set down all 9 Braves to face him, handing the ball off to Edwin Diaz in the ninth and putting the Mets in a position to win their fourth in a row despite only managing 3 hits on offense.
Need To Know:
The much awaited season debut of Kodei Senga will be Friday night against Charlie Morton (5-5, 3.92 ERA). The Mets announced that Tylor Megill will pitch for the Mets against Atlanta on Saturday at 4:10 vs. Schwellenbach (3-5, 4.62). Sunday will see David Peterson (5-0, 3.14) vs. Reynaldo Lopez (7-4, 2.12).
The team's first-round draft pick Carson Benge, who signed his first professional contract this week, was at Thursday's game. He was a two-way star at Oklahoma State before being taken with the 19th overall pick in the amateur draft. Benge signed for a $3.997 million bonus, slightly below the estimated $4.22 mil slot. The 21-year-old outfielder/right-handed pitcher missed his freshman season in 2022 due to Tommy John surgery on his right arm. He hit .355 in 2023 and .345 this season. His career numbers at Robin Ventura's alma mater: 25 HR, 107 RBI .339/.445/.609. As a pitcher he went 5-4 in 28 career games (14 starts) with a 4.88 ERA and 3 saves (all in '24) for the 42-19 Cowboys. He is expected to concentrate on hitting, but it never hurts to have someone with relief experience.
The Mets come into the series with a 13-3 mark in their last 16 games at Citi Field. The Mets stood at 26-25 at Citi this year after starting the year with an 0-5 mark at home and an 11-18 home record on May 29.
From June 1 to July 28 the Mets stood first in the major leagues in that span in wins (29), slugging (.481), On-Base Plus Slugging (.823), runs (253), and RBI (245).
The Mets, whose bullpen issues have been discussed extensively here and elsewhere, are sharing the wealth when it comes to finishing off opponents. Nine different Mets have picked up saves coming into the game, just shy of the 1979 club record (10). Not surprisingly Edwin Diaz leads the team with 12 saves, but he has not always been available given injury and a "substance-ial" issue that led to his suspension. Jake Diekman and Reed Garrett have 4 each; a pair of Mets who won't improve on their 2 saves are Drew Smith (Tommy John surgery) and Jorge Lopez (released after tossing his glove in the stands); the Mets have had 1 save apiece from Jose Butto, Adrian Houser, Dedniel Nunez, and Adam Ottavino.
Turning Point
It looked like the Mets were going to bungle a huge opportunity after the free runner was tagged out at the plate. Pierce Johnson's pitches were darting in and out of the strike zone, making J.D. Martinez and Mark Vientos look bad as they struck out in between an intentional walk issued to Pete Alonso. That walk to Alonso ended a string of 18 straight Mets retired by four Braves pitchers. Jeff McNeil, who endured a tortuous first half and is now being referred to as "Happy Jeff," had one of the two Mets hits through the first 9.2 innings of the game. He hit a high fly down the right-field game. Ramon Laureano, the man who'd been tagged out at the plate in the top of the inning, overran the ball in the corner. It fell untouched and Julio Inglesias scored the winning run to make the Mets 6-8 in extra innings. For once, the Braves were the ones who found themselves getting the bad breaks, while the Mets and Happy Jeff walked off to their fourth win in a row.
Three Keys:
Suicide Sneeze
Suicide Sneeze
The Braves botched a suicide squeeze in the 10th with former Mets prospect Jarrod Kelenic at the plate. The lefty swinger inexplicably pulled the bat back and Ramon Laureano was tagged out in a rundown. A hard bump with Francisco Alvarez brought out a little posturing, but the Mets would have the last laugh when Laureano overran the ball to bring in the winning run.
At Whit's End
Whit Merrifield, one of the few Phillies, who had a bad year, was cut after hitting .199 in 53 games. The Braves picked him up this week, but before he could make his Braves debut, he injured his hand in infield practice on Tuesday. Despite a few stitches, he can still run. After a leadoff walk issued by Edwin Diaz to Eddie Rosario, Merrifield came on to run. The 35-year-old veteran snagged his 213th career steal. He then took off for third and Francisco Alverez's throw beat him, but Mark Vientos' tag may have been late. After watching the replay, the umps upheld the call.
Lindor Sale's Receipt
Atlanta starter Chris Sale continued to look like a leading candidate for both the Comeback Player of the Year and Cy Young Awards. The lefty had pitched just 151 innings over the past four seasons due to numerous injuries for the Red Sox, who dumped him to the Braves and paid $17 of his $27 million salary to take him off their hands and give them a shortstop. Thursday was Sale's first start in 11 days and had starts rained out in Cincinnati on Tuesday and Wednesday. Coming into the game with a 13-3 record in 18 starts for Atlanta, Sale stymied the Mets completely--except for one at bat. Francisco Lindor, with a pair of 2-homer games this week, launched a home run to give the Mets a 2-1 lead in the third innings. The Mets managed just one other hit in 7.1 innings by Sale.
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