Flowers' four RBIs trigger Braves' 8-2 win over Mets
NEW YORK -- Tyler Flowers tied a career high with four RBIs Wednesday night, when six Atlanta Braves players collected at least two hits apiece in a 8-2 rout of the New York Mets in a battle of skidding teams at Citi Field.
The Braves (7-12) snapped a six-game losing streak. The Mets (8-12) have lost nine of 10.
Flowers' three-run double capped a five-run first inning. He also had an RBI single in the fifth to cap his fourth career four-RBI game and his first since Sept. 12.
Matt Kemp and Nick Markakis had RBI singles earlier in the first. Ender Inciarte (double) and Jace Peterson (single) added run-scoring hits in the seventh.
Markakis finished with three hits. Flowers, Kemp, Peterson, Freddie Freeman and Adonis Garcia had two hits each.
Right-hander Julio Teheran (2-1) picked up the win after allowing two runs, four hits and four walks while striking out four in 6 1/3 innings.
Neil Walker and Rene Rivera had sacrifice flies for the Mets, who have scored only 28 runs in the last 10 games. Jay Bruce reached base four times (via two hits and two walks).
Right-hander Robert Gsellman (0-2) took the loss after giving up six runs (five earned), 10 hits and three walks while striking out two in four innings.
Teheran batted before he pitched thanks to a five-run first by the Braves.
Atlanta's first seven batters reached via four hits -- including RBI singles by Kemp and Markakis and a three-run double by Flowers -- two walks and an error. Brandon Phillips made the first out -- and likely cost the Braves another run -- by over-sliding second base on a successful steal.
The Mets didn't get a hit off Teheran until the fourth, when they loaded the bases with none out but scored just once on a long sacrifice fly by Walker.
The Braves chased Gsellman by opening the fifth with three straight singles, including a run-scoring hit by Flowers.
NOTES: The Mets recalled IF/OF Matt Reynolds from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioned LHP Sean Gilmartin to the same affiliate. ... Braves 2B Brandon Phillips left after the first inning due to a sore left groin.