Final/10
Mets down Braves in extras
May 4, 2013 - 4:19 AMVideo
Ruben Tejada delivered the go-ahead hit with runners on first and second, spraying a single off Jordan Walden (1-1) into center to score pinch-hitter Jordany Valdespin, who reached with a walk and then stole second base.
Daniel Murphy added an insurance run with a liner up the middle and Jeurys Familia locked down his first major league save with a 1-2-3 10th inning, sending the Mets to a second straight win on the heels of a six-game slide.
Bobby Parnell (2-0), one of seven Mets pitchers used on Friday, got the final two outs of the ninth after Brandon Lyon allowed a runner to reach third base. John Buck stroked a two-run homer and Lucas Duda and Marlon Byrd each added solo shots in the victory.
Evan Gattis hit a solo homer and Andrelton Simmons drove in a pair for the suddenly struggling Braves, losers in seven of their last nine games.
Justin Upton had a sacrifice fly and Juan Francisco drove in a run, but left the game in the third inning with a sprained ankle.
Gattis had struck out his first three at bats, but sent the Braves in front, 5-4, in the eighth with a solo blast into center field.
The almost always automatic Kimbrel came on to finish it off in the ninth, but gave up his first home run of the season when Wright lifted his 97 m.p.h. heater over the center field wall to knot the score at 5-5.
"Against him its just close your eyes, swing hard and hope you hit," said Wright. "He's as dominant as anyone in the game, so really you just got to hope that he makes a mistake or you really don't have much of a chance."
"Captain America? We expect it, we expect it everyday," said Byrd of his teammate Wright. "Its unbelieveable how he comes through. Seems like every single day we jump on his back and he pulls through all the time."
New York held the early advantage, with Buck driving his 10th home run of the season into the left field seats in the first, and Duda planted one in the same spot the following inning to stake the Mets to a 3-0 lead.
It was a rough start for Atlanta starter Mike Minor, but he would settle down from there and retire the final 18 batters he faced. He lasted seven innings and struck out four, allowing just three hits.
"Yeah, I struggled pretty bad early on, just trying to find location," said Minor. "After that I just thought of battling with the fastball and trying to challenge those guys."
B.J. Upton helped Atlanta get on the board in the third, leading off the frame with a double and scoring on a base hit from Francisco. Francisco, though, left shortly after when he turned his ankle just before getting picked off second base.
Mets starter Shaun Marcum failed to get through the fifth inning, exiting after giving up an RBI single to Simmons with the bases loaded. LaTroy Hawkins then took the mound and gave up Justin Upton's sac fly to make it 3-3, but struck out Freddie Freeman to avoid further damage.
The Braves then took their first lead, 4-3, two innings later when Ramiro Pena led off the seventh with a walk, advanced on Tyler Pastornicky's sac bunt, took third on a wild pitch from Scott Atchison and then came home on Simmons' groundout.
New York took advantage as soon as Minor was lifted, with Byrd launching his second homer of the season to lead off the eighth, knotting the score at 4-4.
Game Notes
Marcum surrendered three runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings ... Mets Opening Day outfielder Collin Cowgill was sent to Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday. Andrew Brown was promoted and got his first start of the season in right field, but finished 0-for-3 at the plate ... The Mets recorded consecutive wins for the first time since April 12-13 ... B.J. Upton went 2-for-4 ... The Braves were 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
- NEW YORK: 7
ATLANTA: 5
Final/10
May 3 11:04 PM - Daniel Murphy singled to center scoring Mike Baxter. On the play, Ruben Tejada advances to second. Runners on first and second with two outs and David Wright due up.
Mets 7, Braves 5 Top 10, 2 OutsMay 3 10:53 PM - Ruben Tejada singled to center scoring Jordany Valdespin. On the play, Mike Baxter advances to third. Runners on first and third with two outs and Daniel Murphy due up.
Mets 6, Braves 5 Top 10, 2 OutsMay 3 10:48 PM - David Wright one-out, solo Home Run (4) to center. John Buck is due up.
Mets 5, Braves 5 Top 9, 1 OutMay 3 10:10 PM - Evan Gattis one-out, solo Home Run (7) to center. Dan Uggla is due up.
Mets 4, Braves 5 Bot 8, 1 OutMay 3 10:02 PM - Marlon Byrd lead-off Home Run (2) to right-center. Andrew Brown is due up.
Mets 4, Braves 4 Top 8, 0 OutsMay 3 9:50 PM - Andrelton Simmons' fielder's choice from third to second scored Ramiro Pena. Jordan Schafer out at second. Runner on first with two outs and Justin Upton due up.
Mets 3, Braves 4 Bot 7, 2 OutsMay 3 9:46 PM - Justin Upton sacrifice fly to right scored Mike Minor. On the play, Andrelton Simmons advances to second and Jordan Schafer advances to third. Runners on second and third and with two outs and Freddie Freeman due up.
Mets 3, Braves 3 Bot 5, 2 OutsMay 3 9:14 PM - Andrelton Simmons singled to right scoring Ramiro Pena. On the play, Jordan Schafer advances to second and Mike Minor advances to third. Bases loaded with one out and Justin Upton due up.
Mets 3, Braves 2 Bot 5, 1 OutMay 3 9:10 PM - Juan Francisco singled to center scoring B.J. Upton. Runner on first with none out and Mike Minor due up.
Mets 3, Braves 1 Bot 3, 0 OutsMay 3 8:23 PM - Lucas Duda lead-off Home Run (6) to left-center. Marlon Byrd is due up.
Mets 3, Braves 0 Top 2, 0 OutsMay 3 7:55 PM - John Buck two-out, two-run Home Run (10) to left-center scored Ruben Tejada. Justin Turner is due up.
Mets 2, Braves 0 Top 1, 2 OutsMay 3 7:41 PM - NEW YORK: 0
ATLANTA: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
May 3 7:36 PM
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