Mets Snap Losing Streak, Beat Braves 3-2
ATLANTA (AP) New York's new No. 2 hitter Josh Thole had two run-scoring singles, Dillon Gee came up from the minors to earn the win and the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Sunday to end their seven-game losing streak.
Gee (1-0) gave up five hits and a run in 5 2-3 innings to beat Tommy Hanson (1-3).
Manager Terry Collins shook up the lineup, moving Thole, the Mets' catcher, up from the No. 8 spot to hit behind leadoff hitter Jose Reyes. Thole had run-scoring singles in the first and fifth innings.
Atlanta's Jason Heyward hit a homer off Jason Isringhausen in the eighth.
Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his second save. Chipper Jones walked to lead off the ninth and was stranded on third when Rodriguez struck out pinch-hitter Brooks Conrad.
The Mets bounced back after being swept in doubleheaders by the Braves on Saturday and by Colorado on Thursday.
Ike Davis drove in Thole with a single in the first inning.
Thole hit eighth in each of his previous 11 starts. Collins said he made the move to take advantage of Thole's discipline at the plate.
"He's the kind of a guy that can work the count, take some pitches, and if Jose gets on, it'll give him a chance to advance," Collins said. "You can do a lot of things with him. He can hit and run, he can handle the bat, he can move a runner over. I just thought it spread the lineup out a little bit."
Collins said he wanted "a change of pace to see if we can get some guys to take a deep breath. And relax a little bit."
Gee was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo. The right-hander was 2-2 with a 2.18 ERA in five starts for the Mets in 2010.
The Mets needed Gee after placing right-hander Chris Young on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with right biceps tendinitis.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez also altered his lineup. Heyward hit second, Brian McCann hit third and Dan Uggla hit fourth as Jones was given a break after playing both games of Saturday's doubleheader. Jones entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth.
Some have suggested Heyward should hit in the No. 2 spot to take advantage of his .368 on-base percentage. He has hit sixth most of the season.
Heyward's homer to lead off the eighth was his fourth.
Uggla led off the second with a triple and, following a walk to Eric Hinske, scored on Freddie Freeman's single. The Braves loaded the bases following a single by Alex Gonzalez, but with one out Hanson whiffed on an apparent squeeze play and Hinske was caught in a run-down between third base and home to end the inning.
Hanson struck out nine in five innings but gave up three runs on five hits and two walks.
Notes: OF Jason Bay was 0 for 3 while playing seven innings in his second injury rehab game with Class A St. Lucie on Sunday. Bay, on the disabled list with a rib cage injury, was 1 for 2 on Saturday night with an intentional walk. ... 3B David Wright and a group of kids had an impromptu game of catch before the game that began when Wright threw a ball into the stands. Instead of keeping the souvenir, a kid tossed the ball to Wright, who then threw it back to start a game of catch with several young fans that lasted several minutes. ... Wright had three strikeouts and hit into a double play. ... The Mets designated LHP Pat Misch for assignment to clear a spot for Gee.
