Braves' Teheran continue mastery of Mets
NEW YORK -- Julio Teheran continued his mastery of the New York Mets on Tuesday night, when the Atlanta Braves right-hander allowed one run over seven strong innings as the Braves continued to play spoiler with a 5-4 win at Citi Field.
The Braves (60-91) have won the first two games of the three-game series against the National League wild card-leading Mets (80-71), who entered Tuesday with a one-game lead over the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals.
Teheran (6-10) allowed just five hits and one walk while striking out one as his ERA against the Mets this season actually rose from 0.78 to 0.90. He is 7-3 with a 2.36 ERA in 15 career games (14 starts) against New York.
Teheran exited with a 5-1 lead after retiring 15 of the final 16 batters he faced following Asdrubal Cabrera's RBI double in the third. The Mets nearly came back in the eighth against right-hander Jose Ramirez and left-hander Ian Krol, who combined to give up three runs on two hits, a walk and a hit batsman. But with runners at the corners and two outs, Krol retired Travis d'Arnaud on a grounder to short.
Jim Johnson allowed a two-out single to Cabrera in the ninth but struck out Yoenis Cespedes for his 16th save.
Matt Kemp had an RBI single in the sixth while Nick Markakis drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Braves the lead for good. Adonis Garcia hit a three-run homer in the seventh.
Freddie Freeman went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk as he reached base safely for the 40th straight game and extended his hitting streak to 24 games. Kemp extended his hitting streak to 12 games, though Markakis' 11-game streak came to an end with an 0-for-3 night.
Curtis Granderson hit an RBI double in the eighth, when T.J. Rivera followed with a sacrifice fly and Eric Campbell delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in his first at-bat since May 30. Cabrera reached base in all five plate appearances, via three hits and two walks, and also stole a base.
Rookie right-hander Robert Gsellman (2-2) carried a shutout into the sixth but took the loss after allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out six over 5 1/3 innings.
NOTES: Mets RHP Jacob deGrom, who hasn't pitched since Sept. 1, will undergo surgery soon to move the ulnar nerve in his right arm. The nerve has been creating numbness and elbow pain for several weeks for deGrom, who allowed 16 runs over 14 1/3 innings in his final three starts. ... Mets INF Wilmer Flores (right wrist) received another cortisone shot on Monday and could be available later this week. Flores has not played since Sept. 10. ... Braves RHP Mike Foltynewicz (calf) ran and played catch Tuesday. Interim manager Brian Snitker hopes Foltynewicz, who hasn't pitched since he was hit by a comebacker on Sept. 12, can return before the end of the season.