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Kyle Muller pitched five scoreless innings to help the Atlanta Braves to a 2-0 victory over the New York Mets in Game 1 of Monday’s doubles program.
The Braves needed a big performance from Muller and he delivered. He accompanied Jonathan Villar to start the game, but then settled in and struck out the next seven hitters he faced.
Atlanta put Muller in the lead in the third but missed an opportunity to do a lot of damage. Guillermo Heredia doubled up to open the round. Kyle Muller then squared to cushion, but pulled it out and hit the left side to place the runners in the corners. Joc Pederson followed with a brace in the right corner of the field that scored Heredia to give the Braves a 1-0 lead.
Instead of potentially putting Marcus Stroman out of the game, the Braves let him get away with it. Ozzie Albies counted in full but then chased what would have been the four ball for the first out. The Mets then intentionally made Freddie Freeman walk to charge the goal, but Austin Riley made a 6-4-3 double play on the first pitch he saw to end the threat.
Muller worked in and out of trouble in the third. Stroman hit a single bunt, then Villar followed with another hit to put the runners in first and second. Muller got in and knocked out Pete Alonso and Michael Conforto to leave them stranded.
Atlanta pushed another run into the fourth. Dansby Swanson narrowly missed a home run, doubling the top of the wall in the center. Stephen Vogt called with a single to the right to put the runners back in the corners. Orlando Arcia failed but first beat the baton. Swanson scored on the play to make it 2-0. Arcia would be stuck there as Stroman took out Heredia and Muller at bat to complete the round.
The Braves again put runners in the corners in third on singles from Freeman and Riley, but Stroman allowed Swanson to pull out for the final.
Muller dove in and out of trouble in the fifth. Brandon Drury hit Stroman and doubled down through left center with one out. Villar followed with a walk but Muller allowed Alonso to score a 5-3 double play on the first court.
Muller would give way to a pinch hitter in the sixth. He gave everything the Braves could have asked for, allowing four hits and two walks in five scoreless innings. He struck out three and made all the big shots he needed.
Tyler Matzek sat sideways in a sixth before giving way to Will Smith. Smith pulled out Kevin Pillar on a long left volley that Abraham Almonte caught on the wall to start the ninth. Tomas Nido followed with a center single. Smith took the tally to 3-2 against pinch hitter James McCann who then hit a rocket at Swanson short who made a good pick to start the double play 6-4-3 to end the game.
With the win, Atlanta improves to 49-50 on the season and nearly four games behind the division lead. Bryse Wilson will start for the Braves in Game 2 while the Mets plan to go with a reliever game.
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