Mets at Braves
Kurt Suzuki hit 87 homers across the first 4,304 at-bats of his major-league career, but the Atlanta Braves catcher enters Friday’s home game against the New York Mets on quite the power surge. Suzuki smacked his third homer of the young season and his 18th in 204 at-bats since last July 2, helping propel the Braves to a convincing 12-4 victory over New York in Thursday’s series opener that pulled Atlanta within two games of the first-place Mets in the National League East.
Left fielder Preston Tucker collected a career-high five RBIs - his fourth game of the season with three or more runs driven in - while first baseman Freddie Freeman returned after being hit by a pitch on Wednesday with two hits and an RBI to raise his average to .306. The Mets, who needed a furious rally to overcome Washington and avoid a sweep Wednesday, have dropped four of their past six since starting the season 11-1. Second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera finished with a hit and a RBI, and in his past 52 games dating back to Aug. 25, 2017, is hitting .357 with nine homers, 33 RBIs and 32 runs scored. New York finished with six hits - just the fifth time in 18 games the Mets offense has failed to generate seven hits or more.
TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FS South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (2-0, 2.95 ERA) vs. Braves LH Sean Newcomb (1-1, 4.02)
Syndergaard is off to a roaring beginning through four starts, leading the National League in strikeouts per nine innings (13.9) and ranking third in total strikeouts (33). He logged one-third of his season total in his last start, a no-decision Sunday against Milwaukee in which Syndergaard punched out 11 with one walk and two hits allowed in just 5 1/3 innings. The Braves are the only NL East team Syndergaard has yet to defeat, going 0-1 with a 3.92 ERA and 23 strikeouts in four starts.
There have been encouraging signs for Newcomb in his past two starts following a rough season debut, as the 24-year-old has struck out 16 while walking just four in 11 1/3 innings combined against Colorado and the Chicago Cubs. Newcomb gave up three runs (two earned) on six hits in 5 1/3 innings with four walks and seven strikeouts Saturday at Chicago, a game the Braves bullpen gave away late. Newcomb went 1-2 with a 2.70 ERA in three starts against the Mets as a rookie in 2017.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Braves have 11 wins on the season and did not reach that figure until May 2 in 2017 and May 20 in 2016.
2. New York’s bullpen, which had allowed only 18 earned runs in 61 1/3 innings in the first 17 games of the season, surrendered six earned runs in two innings Thursday.
3. Atlanta C Tyler Flowers (oblique), sidelined since Opening Day, is expected to begin a minor-league rehab assignment this weekend.