The Atlanta Braves (7-4) took on the New York Mets (4-7) at Truist Park on a tragic evening for Braves fans.
Mike Soroka took the mound on Monday, boasting a 2.68 ERA and a 13-4 record last season. Jacob deGrom took the mound for the Mets, boasting an equally impressive 2.43 ERA, but an 11-8 record due to a lack of run support, in a pitching battle that’s always exciting. The Mets would avoid the sweep, due to some hot bats in the top of the third inning.
Soroka started off with two easy ground outs to first, but struggled a little bit, walking Pete Alonso and Robinson Cano, before J. D. Davis would hit directly to Dansby Swanson, for an easy out at second. deGrom had an equally easy inning, striking out Ronald Acuna Jr. and Freddie Freeman, to end the inning scoreless.
Soroka, once again, had an easy inning, with three great defensive plays in the infield, to send it to the top of the second inning.
Marcell Ozuna was the leadoff man for the Braves in the bottom of the second, striking out on a full count. Travis d’Arnaud was the first man on base for the Braves, with a line drive to center field, but that’s the most offensive production the Braves would see in the inning, with deGrom striking out Swanson.
Michael Conforto cracked one for an RBI double in the top of the third to give the give the Mets the lead, 1-0 due to an Ozuna error. Soroka would struggle heavily though, loading the bases, with Cano on deck. Cano sent two runners home to give the Mets the 3-0 lead.
Soroka would pull up while running to first, with an Achilles injury and be replaced by Chris Rusin, who would walk his first batter. Rusin would give up a run in the top of the third, on a line drive from Wilson Ramos, to send Alonso home to give the Mets a 4-0 lead. The Braves would finally end the inning, with Camargo tossing the ball to third.
Acuna crushed a line drive to left field to get on first, but that would once again be all the offensive production the Braves would muster to end the third with the Mets leading 4-0. Rusin, unsurprisingly, would struggle in the top of the fourth, walking Alonso, and having a man on first and second.
Cano would send a runner home on a single and the Braves would strikeout Alonso, the Mets would go up 5-0. Swanson would struggle to gather the ball on a single towards him, but toss the ball from shallow left field, to home in time to keep the Mets from extending their lead further.
deGrom would have an easy fourth, with three quick outs. Rusin would have a tough start to the top of the fifth-inning, walking Dominic Smith. Wilson Ramos would crush the ball for a home run, giving the Mets a 7-0 lead. Ozuna would grab a foul ball to left field to end the inning.
d’arnaud would crush a home run off deGrom in the top of the fifth, with the Mets still leading 7-1. Acuna would send one to left field, to send Ender Inciarte home, with the Mets still leading 7-2.
The top of the sixth wouldn’t be great for Rusin, who would give up a double play to Michael Conforto to start the inning. From there, Luke Jackson would begin warming up for the Braves, with Alonso on deck for the Mets, who ho would be out on a throw from Swanson to first.
Conforto would steal third, with Brian Dozier at bat, Johan Camargo wanted it challenged, but he didn’t get the tag in time. Rusin would strike out Dozier, and Jackson would replace him in the top of the sixth. Jackson would clean up the inning with the Mets still leading 7-2.
Ozuna would get his first base hit of the night on a single to right field off deGrom, but that would be the most the Braves would be able to produce. With deGrom’s 10th strikeout coming against d’Arnaud to end the inning, the Mets led 7-2.
Jackson would have an easy inning, walking one batter, but ultimately ending the inning, keeping the Mets at bay, with the Mets leading 7-2. Swanson would lead off for the Braves against Jeurys Familia, who would replace deGrom. Familia would give up a double to Inciarte and send Camargo to third. Familia would walk Acuna to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh-inning, with Ozzie Albies on deck.
Albies would strikeout and Familia would be replaced by Justin Wilson, who would get the Mets out of a loaded bases situation to send the game to the top of the eight-inning, with the Mets leading 7-2.
Grant Dayton would replace Jackson on the night to face Brandon Nimmo, who would crack an easy ball to Ozuna, for the first out of the inning for the Braves. Ozuna, would once again have an easy out with a ball sent to left field and Dayton would strike Alonso out to end the inning, with the Mets leading 7-2.
Jared Hughes, would replace Wilson, who would give up a single, but Ozuna and Adams would be out on a double play. d’Arnaud would be retired by Wilson, for the Mets to preserve their 7-2 lead going into the top of the ninth.
Dayton would have an easy inning, despite an error from Freddie Freeman, holding the Mets scoreless to send the Braves into their final chance to win the game. Hughes would have an easy inning to end the game, finishing it with three strikeouts.
The Braves will play the Toronto Blue Jays Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. EST at Truist Park.
