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Teheran, Simmons lead Braves over Mets

Aug 28, 2014 - 3:49 AM Flushing, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Julio Teheran pitched well into the seventh inning, Andrelton Simmons made at least one game-saving defensive play and the Atlanta Braves held on to beat the New York Mets 3-2 on Wednesday to snap a three-game losing streak.

Simmons prevented the tying run from scoring when he gunned down Travis d'Arnaud from shallow left field to end the eighth inning after chasing down a ground ball in the hole.

Braves closer Craig Kimbrel put the first two runners on base in the ninth but got three straight outs to preserve the win and earn his 39th save.

"He's our ace. He's our No. 1," Simmons said of Teheran. "He's been pitching great. He battled today. He went deep in the game and gave us a chance."

The Braves never trailed after Jason Heyward led off the game with a home run and bounced back from a 3-2 loss in the three-game series opener on Tuesday.

Simmons also made two good defensive plays in the seventh inning backing up third baseman Phil Gosselin.

Wilmer Flores homered for the Mets, who played without injured stars David Wright (neck spasms) and Daniel Murphy (calf) for the second game in a row.

Teheran (13-9) cruised through much of his 6 1/3 innings to win his third start in a row, giving up just three hits and two walks with four strikeouts. David Carpenter got the right-hander out of trouble in the seventh with two runners on base and the Braves leading 3-1.

Zack Wheeler (9-9) retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced for New York in a tough loss. The righty lost for the first time in his last 11 starts despite allowing just four hits and two earned runs while striking out seven.

"Giving up that leadoff home run to Heyward and letting guys on. I was supposed to go out there and put up zeros and I didn't do that today," said Wheeler.

The Mets had runners at first and second with no outs in the eighth against Jordan Walden when Juan Lagares hit an RBI single to make it 3-2. Lucas Duda then grounded into a double play that left Curtis Granderson at third base.

D'Arnaud's grounder in the hole looked like a sure single even after Simmons backhanded it. But Simmons' leaping one-hop throw beat d'Arnaud by a half-step at first base to end the threat.

One of the outs Kimbrel got in the ninth inning came at the plate when Gosselin threw home on a fielder's choice to easily nab the lead runner.

Earlier, Heyward hit Wheeler's third pitch over the left-field wall for his seventh career leadoff homer and fourth this season. Flores tied the game for New York in the second inning.

Atlanta took a 3-1 lead in the third after Gosselin scored on Justin Upton's groundout and Freddie Freeman came home on an error when Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada couldn't field Evan Gattis' grounder cleanly.

Teheran retired 14 of 15 batters after Flores' home run before the Mets got their third hit of the game on Eric Campbell's single in the seventh inning.

Teheran then walked Matt den Dekker on his 101st pitch, putting the tying run on base. The inning ended when Simmons ranged to his right for Tejada's grounder. (Earlier in the seventh, the Gold Glove shortstop backed up Gosselin on a ground ball and got d'Arnaud with a strong throw for the first out.)

Game Notes

Wheeler's last loss came June 25 against Oakland when he gave up six runs in two innings. He faced the minimum between the fourth and seventh innings, only giving up a walk in the fifth to Freeman, who was wiped out by a double play ... It was Heyward's 11th homer of the year ... Flores hit his second homer of the season and third of his career.