Braves Shut Out Mets 4-0

Three Braves pitchers combined to hold the Mets to four hits in a 4-0 shutout victory. The win was the Braves second of the series and has stretched their lead out in the National League East to four games over the Mets.

All Star Tim Hudson was once again masterful. Hudson pitched seven innings while only allowing four hits and striking out three. He even chipped in at the plate where he had two hits and drove in a run. Jonny Venters and Billy Wagner each worked a perfect inning to close out the victory. The win improves Hudson to 9-4 on the season and lowers his ERA to a sparkling 2.30.

The Braves pounded out fifteen hits against Mets pitchers thirteen of which were singles. Mets starter Mike Pelfrey worked out of trouble early but couldn’t escape the fifth inning. The Braves scored four times in the frame highlighted once again by an Omar Infante RBI single. Troy Glaus also drove in his 58th run of the season for the Braves.

Infante is red hot at the plate going seven for ten in the first two games of the Mets series. If you include the Phillies series he is eleven for his last twenty four. It appears that his selection to the All Star Game has raised his performance up a notch or two. He continues to be critical to the Braves success hitting .328 on the year while playing a number of positions defensively.

The Braves will close out the first half of the season on Sunday with Derek Lowe on the mound matched up against Mets ace Johan Santana. A victory would guarantee that the Braves would go into the break with the best record in the National League. The first pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 1:10 ET