Mets at Braves
Curtis Granderson’s struggles have been one of many things to go wrong for the New York Mets in the first five weeks of 2017, but the veteran outfielder enters the finale of a four-game series Thursday at the Atlanta Braves after snapping a 1-for-30 skid. Granderson, who was 3-for-49 over his past 14 games and batting .122 entering Wednesday, helped fuel New York’s 16-5 victory by going 2-for-5 with a pair of doubles as the Mets won for just the fifth time in the past 17 games.
Granderson was joined during Wednesday’s hit parade – New York tied a season high with 20 hits – by Jose Reyes, who went 2-for-4 with a career high-tying five RBIs as he has raised his average from .095 to .186 in his past nine games. The Braves lost for only the third time in eight games despite scoring five runs or more for the seventh time during that span. Catcher Tyler Flowers extended his hitting streak to five games and is batting .526 in that stretch. Leadoff hitter Ender Inciarte went 0-for-4, as the Braves dropped to 2-11 when Inciarte does not score a run.
TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN Southeast (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Zack Wheeler (1-2, 4.78 ERA) vs. Braves LH Jaime Garcia (1-1, 3.99)
The best news for the 26-year-old Wheeler is he appears healthy after missing each of the past two seasons with injuries. Through five starts, Wheeler has allowed three earned runs or less three times, including a no-decision Saturday in Washington in which he gave up one earned run with four walks and four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Wheeler, who grew up near Atlanta’s new SunTrust Park, is holding opponents to a .195 batting average the second time through the lineup (compared to .268 the first time through the order).
Garcia ended his first month with Atlanta with three solid starts in a row, going 1-0 while allowing two earned runs in six-plus innings in each outing. That victory came Saturday at Milwaukee, as Garcia earned his first victory after giving up three hits in six innings with five walks and three strikeouts. Acquired in a trade with St. Louis in the offseason, the 30-year-old Garcia suffered his only loss of the season in his Braves debut at New York on April 6, surrendering four runs on six hits with no strikeouts in six innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York LF Michael Conforto finished 3-for-6 Wednesday, extending his hitting streak to six games during which he is hitting .444 with three homers and 10 RBIs.
2. Atlanta 2B Brandon Phillips is one stolen base shy of becoming the 48th player in major-league history with at least 200 career homers and 200 career steals.
3. New York SS Wilmer Flores (knee infection) was activated from the disabled list before Wednesday’s game, flying out as a pinch hitter in the seventh.