Mets Beat Braves 4-1 Led By Domination From Scherzer

Mets RHP Max Scherzer (Photo Credits to Bill Streicher-USA Today Sports)

 The New York Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 4-1 tonight at Truist Park in Atlanta to take the first game of a key three-game series and improved their record to 54-33.

The offense was held scoreless for the first two innings against LHP Max Fried, but broke through in the top of the third after CF Brandon Nimmo led off with a double and two batters later, 1B Pete Alonso drove in Nimmo with a RBI double.

LF Mark Canha followed with a walk and 3B Eduardo Escobar singled to load the bases. 

2B Luis Guillorme came up next grounded into a force out at second to score Alonso for the second run of the innning.

The bats did not do much for the next four innings, but in the top of the eighth Guillorme came through once again with a lead-off homer to bring in a much needed insurance run for his second RBI of the game.

In the top of the ninth, Nimmo led off with a walk and SS Francisco Lindor followed with a single on a well executed hit and run.

Alonso then grounded out into a fielder's choice which scored Nimmo for his second RBI of the game.

RHP Max Scherzer came out firing in the bottom of the first with a 1-2-3 inning and two strikeouts and also had a 1-2-3 bottom of the second.

Scherzer gave up his first hit a two-out single to 2B Robinson Cano in the bottom of the third, but came back to strike out RF Ronald Acuna Jr to end the inning.

Scherzer continued to roll with a 1-2-3 bottom of the fourth with two strikeouts and then also had 1-2-3 innings in the bottom of the fifth and sixth.

He ran into his first sign of trouble in the bottom of the seventh after he gave up a solo homer to 3B Austin Riley and then a double to DH Marcell Ozuna, but was able to recover after he struck out RF Eddie Rosario to end the inning and was then taken out.

His final line was seven innings, three hits, one run, 0 walks and nine strikeouts.

Scherzer was in complete command once again and showed off his repertoire of fastball, change-up, slider and cutter.

His slider and cutter were particular effective especially against the left handed hitters.

He is a lot of fun to watch and shows how to dominate without throwing with maximum effort.

He picked up his sixth win and lowered his ERA to 2.15.

RHP Adam Ottavino followed with a scoreless bottom of the eighth.

RHP Edwin Diaz came on in the bottom of the ninth and closed it out in dominating fashion striking out the side with an electric fastball and sharp slider.

Diaz picked up his 19th save.

The Mets next game is tomorrow night, Tuesday July 12th at the Braves at 7:20 p.m.