Tejada, Duda Help Mets Beat Braves 7-5
ATLANTA (AP) — Ruben Tejada had four RBIs, Lucas Duda homered off Craig Kimbrel in the ninth inning and the New York Mets slowed the Atlanta Braves' wild-card bid with a walk-filled 7-5 victory Sunday.
Atlanta, which began the day with a 4½-game lead over St. Louis in the NL wild-card standings, lost two of three to the Mets, who arrived with a six-game losing streak. New York went 6-4 at Atlanta this year, its first winning record at Turner Field since 2008.
Tejada put the Mets ahead 4-1 with a three-run double in a four-run fourth. After pinch-hitter Ronny Paulino's bases-loaded walk in the eighth against Jonny Venters (6-2) tied it at 5, Tejada singled to put the Mets ahead for good. Duda's homer was just the second this year off Kimbrel, the NL saves leader.
Tim Byrdak (2-0) won despite allowing a go-ahead single in the seventh to Freddie Freeman, who had been on an 0-for-15 slide. Manny Acosta got four outs for his second save in five chances.
Venters walked three in the eighth for Atlanta, which walked nine overall. The teams combined for 17 walks.
Chipper Jones' RBI double put the Braves ahead in the third, but Brandon Beachy walked pitcher Dillon Gee with the bases loaded in the fourth and Tejada followed with a three-run double.
Atlanta tied it in the bottom half on Alex Gonzalez's solo homer, Michael Bourn's run-scoring single and Dan Uggla's RBI groundout.
A rookie making his first career appearance against New York, Beachy allowed five runs, five hits and four walks in 4 1-3 innings with eight strikeouts. Gee gave up four runs, eight hits and five walks in 4 1-3 innings. His ERA has climbed to 4.48 from 3.05 on June 10.
NOTES: RF Jason Heyward threw out Justin Turner at the plate when he tried to score on Tejada's go-ahead single. ... New York CF Angel Pagan missed the game with a sore quadriceps. ... Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez wanted to give Freeman the day off, but the rookie entered during a double switch in the fifth. ... Atlanta RHP Tommy Hanson, sidelined with right shoulder tendinitis, will pitch two or three innings — a maximum of 35 pitches — Monday in the Instructional League. ... Braves RHP Jair Jurrjens, out with a right knee strain, is scheduled to throw off a mound Monday in Miami before Atlanta plays the Marlins. ... Atlanta RHP Kris Medlen, who's missed the season to recover from elbow ligament-replacement surgery, threw batting practice Sunday and is to throw off a mound Wednesday and Thursday in the Instructional League.
