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The Braves’ offense was almost nonexistent for much of that game, especially in scoring situations. The eruption that occurred on Tuesday quickly became a distant memory as Atlanta stranded the runners, carrying their struggles and woes to the end. Those gaps resulted in a 2-1 loss for Atlanta, which continues to find ways to avoid hitting the 0.500 mark.
Max Fried was exceptional for Atlanta in this game. The southpaw worked seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out nine. July had not been a favorable month for Fried, but he ended with a solid outing that gave his side every chance of winning the game in a crucial clash for Atlanta.
The third inning saw the Mets score a run after staging a two-way trade to Fried, starting with a single from New York starter Tylor Megill. The Mets would eventually charge the goals, setting the table for Jeff McNeil, who selected left field to give New York a 1-0 lead.
Meanwhile, the Braves offense was busy doing nothing for five innings. They had early opportunities against Megill, but couldn’t capitalize and went scoreless until the sixth. Austin Riley, who terrorized the Mets with two homers and six RBIs on Tuesday, again emphatically announced his presence with a stalled solo homerun. It tied the score and kicked Megill out of the game.
Giving Fried the much-needed support was great, but scoring just one point left the Braves vulnerable to a Mets lineup with plenty of homestroke power. Fried kept that power at bay until the seventh inning, when pinch hitter Brandon Drury smashed a two-out solo homerun to left field to give New York a 2-1 lead. Despite his brilliance for much of the game, it seemed like a potential place for Brian Snitker to call on his enclosure. Drury has been a terror to left-handed pitchers and while the Mets could have defeated Drury in favor of Dominic Smith to face a right-handed reliever, it probably would have been a better option given that Smith has very pronounced reverse splits (. 669 OPS vs. RHP).
The Braves had all the makings of an eighth inning comeback, as Joc Pederson and Ozzie Albies each scored to open the frame. Freddie Freeman followed with a prominent comebacker who was pushed around but recovered in time to take Freeman out at first. This moved the runners to second and third, but those runners were blocked as Austin Riley pulled out sticks and Dansby Swanson was knocked out on a shortstop.
The ninth inning brought more frustration to the Atlanta offense, as Abraham Almonte started with a double ground rule down the center-right. With one out, batter Ehire Adrianza fielded a single to right field, but Mets right fielder Michael Conforto threw an all-star laser at home to reduce Almonte’s tie. The next hitter was Pablo Sandoval, who scared New York but was struck out on a left center line.
The Braves are five games back, which is exactly where they started the series. Two steps forward, two steps back has been Atlanta history all season.
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