ATLANTA – The Atlanta Braves avenged their series loss in Flushing to the New York Mets by winning three out of four games in this pivotal series. With a 3-2 win Thursday night at Truist Park, the Braves are now 3.5 games out of first place in the National League’s Eastern Division. Moreover, the Braves have won nine out of their last 10 games.
Braves left hand pitcher Max Fried won the pitching duel between Mets right hand pitcher Jacob deGrom, giving him his first loss of the season. Fried finished with six strikeouts, while allowing two runs in seven innings pitched.
Fried, who was cleared from concussion protocol yesterday, is glad his team got the win and felt confident coming into tonight’s game.
“I felt a lot better [coming into this game]” said Fried. “When I got the news (that I would be starting), it was business as usual. I knew who we were going against and just tried to finish the series strong. I knew it was deGrom so I had to bring everything I had.”
The Braves jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning. Shortstop Dansby Swanson hit an RBI double bringing in Grissom for the first run. Third baseman Austin Riley hit a RBI single that brought in Swanson.
The Mets countered in the fifth inning. Left fielder Mark Canha hit a two run homer which tied the game at two.
Braves center fielder Michael Harris II was the true hero in Thursday’s game. His RBI double brought in shortstop Vaughn Grissom for the go ahead run in the seventh inning, scoring from first base in the process.
“It was just exciting to be in that position,” Grissom said when third base head coach Ron Washington waved him to go home. “It was a huge moment in the game where we needed the run.”
“I didn’t know he was sending him until I slid and got up and saw him slide and [the umpire] called him safe,” Harris said. “I was just being me, trying to stay calm and just trying to do anything I can to help us win.” Harris finished the game 1-3 with an RBI double.
The Braves will face the Houston Astros tomorrow in a three-game weekend series.