Mets 4, Braves 0
NEW YORK -- Left-hander Jonathon Niese combined with three relievers on a five-hitter Monday night, when the New York Mets edged closer to the National League East title by beating the Atlanta Braves 4-0 at Citi Field.
The Mets (85-65) won for the second time in six games to increase their division lead over the Washington Nationals to 6 1/2 games and reduce their magic number to seven. The Nationals' game against the Baltimore Orioles was rained out.
The Braves (60-91) had a three-game winning streak snapped.
Left fielder Michael Conforto hit a solo homer in the second while second baseman Daniel Murphy (2-for-4) delivered a two-run double in the seventh. Right fielder Curtis Granderson scored two runs and center fielder Yoenis Cespedes had three hits.
The run-scoring hit by Murphy helped make up for his baserunning mistake in the first inning. Murphy stopped running between second and third when Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud appeared to hit an inning-ending double play grounder to third. But Granderson scored when Braves second baseman Daniel Castro could not throw to first after he was toppled by Cespedes' hard slide. Castro then threw to shortstop Andrelton Simmons, who tagged out Murphy.
Niese (9-10) allowed three hits and two walks while striking out two. Right-handers Addison Reed, Tyler Clippard and Jeurys Familia combined to allow two hits over the final three innings.
Niese retired the first eight batters he faced, all by groundout, before running into his lone jam of the night. The Braves loaded the bases in the third when right-handed pitcher Shelby Miller walked, right fielder Michael Bourn singled and Castro reached on an error. But first baseman Freddie Freeman lined out to center to end the threat.
The season-long bad luck continued for Miller, whose winless streak reached 23 starts -- the longest for a Braves pitcher since the team moved to Atlanta in 1966. Miller, who is 5-16 despite a 3.00 ERA, allowed two runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out three and throwing a season-high 113 pitches.
NOTES: Mets INF Juan Uribe (chest contusion), who was injured diving for a ball on Sunday, was scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday. ... Mets manager Terry Collins said RHP Jacob deGrom, whose turn in the rotation is being skipped Tuesday, will likely start during a four-game series against the Cincinnati Reds that begins Thursday. DeGrom has a 6.31 ERA in his last five starts. ... Braves RHP Mike Foltynewicz, who was hospitalized due to blood clots Sunday, underwent surgery Monday. ... Braves RF Nick Markakis (sore trapezius) was out of the lineup for a second straight day. Manager Fredi Gonzalez hopes he can return Tuesday.