Atlanta Braves Bid to Sweep the Mets Fails
By Fred Owens
The Braves entered today with a chance to sweep the faltering Mets. They would have succeeded had manager Fredi Gonzalez interfered.
The Sweep That Wasn’t
My live notes as I watched the game complete with opinions; YMMV.
The Wood Innings
Alex wood started well and was cruising along in the first until Lucas Duda’s bloop hit put Wood into the stretch. Wood thought he had Michael Cuddyer struck out but didn’t get the call and on the next pitch Cuddyer gave the Mets the lead. It was that kind of day for Woody as he fought his control and a wandering strike zone all afternoon. Meanwhile Bartolo Colon seemed in charge after getting th eBraves up and down in order in the first.
The second inning saw the Braves get back in it because Jonny Gomes hustled and denied the Mets a double play. That kind of hustle was absent last season but today it allowed Andrelton Simmons to come up with Alberto Callaspo and Gomes on and deliver a game tying triple.
In the bottom of the fourth the Mets got runner on third with one out and for reasons known only to him and his ouija board Braves skipper Fredi Gonzalez decided to play the infield in with Colon at the plate. Colon swung so hard his helmet came off and looped a lazy fly ball out to the spot the second baseman normally stands. Jace Peterson was however dutifully standing on the grass and the ball dropped allowing the run to score and Colon to get regain the lead.
Woody was in and out of trouble all day but fought through a dangerous top of the fifth and ended up going 6 2/3 innings before being replaced by Cody Martin. His final line 6.2 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 7 K. 98 pitches, 64 strikes