Mets vs. Braves Game 85 Recap

Mets RF Jeff McNeil (Credits to MetsMerizedOnline.com)

The New York Mets defeated the Atlanta Braves 8-5 tonight to snap their seven game losing streak and improved their record to 38-47.  In the bottom of the first inning, All-Star RF Jeff McNeil led off with a single and advanced to second base on a throwing error by Braves starter LHP Max Fried. Two batters later, LF J.D. Davis drove in McNeil with an RBI single. In the bottom of the third inning, All-Star 1B Pete Alonso walked and J.D. Davis followed with another single. 3B Todd Frazier followed with an RBI single to bring in Alonso. 2B Robinson Cano then hit a bloop single to load the bases. SS Amed Rosario hit a sacrifice fly to score Davis which gave the Mets a 3-2 lead. After that the bats went quiet and wasted some opportunities to score, but woke up in the bottom of the eighth inning. 3B Todd Frazier led off with a solo homer and Cano was then hit by a pitch. Rosario followed with a singe, but catcher Tomas Nido failed to get down a sacrifice bunt and Braves 3B Josh Donaldson threw out the lead runner at third base. Pinch hitter Wilson Ramos walked and CF Michael Conforto walked to load the bases. McNeil came through once again after he blooped a single into right field which scored two runs. Alonso followed with a two-run double to score Conforto and McNeil to make it an 8-5 lead.

RHP Noah Syndergarrd made his return after he came off the IL and struggled in the top of the first inning after CF Ronald Acuna Jr. led off with a single, stole second, moved to third base on a fly-out by SS Dwansby Swanson and scored on a RBI single by 3B Josh Donaldson. Syndergarrd threw a scoreless top of the second inning, but gave up a solo homer to Acuna Jr in the top of the third inning. He threw scoreless innings in the top of the fourth and fifth innings, but ran into trouble in the top of the sixth. 1B Freddie Freeman and Donaldson walked to start the inning and two batters later, 2B Jorge Camargo hit a RBI single to tie the game. Catcher Tyler Flowers walked and then Syndegarrd was taken out. RHP Chris Flexen retired pinch-hitter Matt Joyce with the based loaded to end the inning. Syndergarrd's final line was 5.2 innings, 7 hits, 3 walks and 5 strikeouts. Flexen stayed in for the top of the sixth and gave up a single to Acuna and doubles to Swanson and Freeman and was pulled. RHP Wilmer Font followed and retired the next three hitters he faced and stayed in for the top of the eighth inning and threw a scoreless inning. Font threw two scoreless innings and picked up his first win. RHP Edwin Diaz closed it out with a 1-2-3 top of the ninth inning and picked up his 17th save.

The Mets are off tomorrow and return to action on Tuesday, July 2nd at home against the Yankees at 7:10 p.m.