Braves Hustle Their Way To 9th Inning Win Over Mets
ATLANTA (AP) — Dansby Swanson turned a normal grounder up the middle into a hustle double, then dashed home on a single by pinch-hitter Rio Ruiz in the ninth inning to lift the Atlanta Braves over the New York Mets 3-2 Friday.
With one out in the ninth, Swanson hit a bouncer through the infield and ran hard out of the batter's box. As center fielder Curtis Granderson took a casual approach to the ball, Swanson never let up as he rounded first base and slid head-first into second.
Josh Edgin then relieved Fernando Salas (0-2), and Ruiz followed with a single to left. Swanson skipped out of the way of the ball, sped home and slid in safely.
Braves players poured out of the dugout to surround Ruiz, with Swanson rushing to congratulate him.
Swanson's two-run double in the sixth gave Atlanta a 2-1 lead.
Jim Johnson (4-1) pitched a scoreless ninth.
Granderson and Travis d'Arnaud hit homers for New York. Mets starter Matt Harvey threw five scoreless innings.
Harvey left with a 1-0 lead, thanks to Granderson's third-inning homer off Julio Teheran. The Mets have hit homers in 12 consecutive road games, two shy of the team record of 14 set in 1988.
The Braves took the lead with two runs off reliever Paul Sewald in the sixth. Matt Kemp led off with a double, Danny Santana drew a two-out walk and Swanson doubled.
The Mets tied it in the seventh on d'Arnaud's line-drive homer to left off Jason Motte.
LOGJAM
Granderson's hold on a starting job could be on jeopardy when Yoenis Cespedes returns from the disabled list. Manager Terry Collins said Cespedes will start one game in Saturday's doubleheader. Granderson, Jay Bruce and Michael Conforto were the regular starters since Cespedes went on the DL on April 28 with a strained left hamstring.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: 2B Neil Walker missed his second straight game with swelling in his left knee. Collins said he was worried the swelling had not gone down after two days.
Braves: RHP Kris Medlen, who missed most of 2016 with right shoulder problems following his second Tommy John surgery, gave up three runs on five hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings against Charlotte in his first start for Triple-A Gwinnett. He had a 1.74 ERA in two starts for Double-A Mississippi.
UP NEXT
Mets: LHP Steven Matz will return from an elbow injury and make his season debut in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader. Robert Gsellman will start in the first game.
Braves: The team is expected to call up rookie LHP Sean Newcomb and RHP Matt Wisler for Saturday's doubleheader. It will be the major league debut for Newcomb, who is 3-3 with a 2.97 ERA at Triple-A Gwinnett. He was acquired in the 2015 trade that sent SS Andrelton Simmons to the Angels.
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