deGrom doesn't skip beat as Mets get sweep

dimanche 24 avril 2016

Blair settled down after surrendering a first-inning run, but he faded in the sixth before seeing his debut conclude with Michael Conforto's go-ahead double. The highly-regarded prospect surrendered three runs over 5 1/3 innings for the Braves, who have lost five straight since snapping their 0-9 start with a four-game win streak. The Mets have won eight of their past 10 games.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
No soup for you!: While deGrom allowed the Braves to set the table, he would not allow them to eat. Making his first start since April 8, deGrom frustrated Atlanta's No. 3 through 6 hitters. They went 3-for-12 (.250), with Freddie Freeman being retired on a pair of comebackers. Cleanup hitter Adonis Garcia had two singles, but never advanced past first, A.J. Pierzynski was 0-for-3 and grounded into a double play, while Kelly Johnson had one hit, an infield dribbler.

Markakis' RBI single Markakis' RBI single

NYM@ATL: Markakis ties game at 1 with an RBI single

Nick Markakis ties the game at 1 with a single in the bottom of the 5th inning

Not Free at last: Freeman hoped Saturday night's two-hit game was a sign he was breaking out of his early-season funk. But the first baseman went hitless on Sunday and in the process did not take advantage of any of the three hits Daniel Castro notched in front of him. After Nick Markakis delivered a game-tying single and Castro followed with an infield single to put runners at the corners in the fifth inning, Freeman grounded back to the mound for the second time in a three-inning span.

Home Is Where the Curt Is: Curtis Granderson scored a pair of runs in all three games of the series and made sure the Mets never trailed. On Friday night, he hit two home runs, including his sixth career grand slam and first with the Mets, and drove in five runs. On Saturday, he added two more hits and a walk, scoring as part of a two-run first inning. In Sunday's finale, he punched a first-inning single, then drew a sixth-inning walk, coming around to score both times. For the series, Granderson hit .462 (6-for-13), with a double and two homers, and had a .533 on-base percentage, with six runs scored and five more driven in.

Conforto's sac fly Conforto's sac fly

NYM@ATL: Conforto plates Granderson with a sac fly

Michael Conforto plates Curtis Granderson with a sac fly to left field to open the scoring in the top of the 1st inning

It was still memorable: Blair surrendered hits to three of the first five batters he faced, but with the assistance of two double play groundouts, he limited his damage through the first five innings to Conforto's first-inning sacrifice fly. The right-hander, who ranks as baseball's No. 54 overall prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, concluded his outing by walking Granderson, surrendering an Asdrubal Cabrera single ahead of Conforto's decisive double. His fastball became more lively and he displayed an effective changeup during this 80-pitch debut.

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
Though he surrendered just one earned run, deGrom's afternoon ERA actually increased by .001. deGrom has produced a sterling 1.31 ERA through 20 career afternoon starts.

Blair induces double play Blair induces double play

NYM@ATL: Blair turns inning-ending double play in 4th

Aaron Blair begins an inning-ending double play in the top of the 4th inning

The Mets came into Sunday's finale having grounded into five double plays, the fewest in the Majors, and with only seven total, but they hit into three in the first four innings, including their first strike-'em-out, throw-'em-out of the season to end the first. Of the Mets' 10 twin-killings in 2016, five of them came this weekend, three GIDPs, a line-out double play and the K-2-6.

REPLAY REVIEW
The Braves seemed to not want to keep their one challenge in their pocket when they challenged the ruling that Wilmer Flores reached safely on an infield single in the eighth. After a 57-second review, the call was confirmed.

Flores safe at first base Flores safe at first base

NYM@ATL: Flores beats a throw to first base in 9th

Wilmer Flores beats the throw to first base and the safe call is confirmed after the Braves challenge in the 9th

WHAT'S NEXT
Mets: Right-hander Noah Syndergaard (2-0, 0.90 ERA) will look to continue his dominance of the Reds on Monday when the Mets open a nine-game homestand at 7:10 p.m. ET. He's shut down Cincinnati in two career starts -- going 2-0 with a 1.72 ERA, including an eight-inning gem on June 26, 2015, at Citi Field. Syndergaard allowed one run and five hits, with five strikeouts, in outpitching Johnny Cueto to earn a 2-1 win.

Braves: Right-hander Julio Teheran (0-2, 5.64) will take the mound when the Braves open a two-game series against the Red Sox on Monday at 7:10 p.m. ET. Boston closer Craig Kimbrel notched a pair of saves when he made his initial return to Turner Field with the Padres last year.

Watch every out-of-market regular-season game live on MLB.TV.

Mark Bowman has covered the Braves for MLB.com since 2001.

Jon Cooper is a contributor to MLB.com and covered the Mets on Sunday. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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deGrom doesn't skip beat as Mets get sweep

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