Mets Take Out Frustrations On Braves In Series Finale

 

Mark Vientos sliding home on Rafael Ortega's two-run single in the fifth inning. Photo by Jason Schott.

The Mets took out their frustrations on the Atlanta Braves on Sunday night, as they roared back from an early deficit to win, 7-6, after they dropped the first three game of this series and avoided a sweep.

Kodai Senga got the win to improve to 9-6 with a 3.30 ERA (earned run average), as he went six innings, and allowed three runs (all earned) on four hits and two walks, with seven strikeouts.

Atlanta scored all three of their runs off him in the first inning on a Marcell Ozuna double. 

Matt Olson about to come in to score and make it 3-0 Atlanta in the first inning, as Kodai Senga (left of the plate) looks on. Photo by Jason Schott.

Senga then retired the next two hitters to get out of further trouble, and that began a stretch in which he retired 13 straight Braves, up until Ronald Acuna, Jr., beat out an infield hit with two outs in the fifth inning.

Kodai Senga firing one in to Sean Murphy in the fourth inning. Photo by Jason Schott.

Senga's streak allowed the Mets' offense to get back into it against Atlanta starting pitcher Robinson Chirinos, who entered this one with a 5-4 record and a 4.83 ERA.

In the third inning, Rafael Ortega led off with a single and came in to score on a single by Jeff McNeil. That was the first run in the series the Mets scored against an Atlanta starting pitcher, as Charlie Morton kept them off the board for five innings Friday night, and Allan Winans and Spencer Strider each threw seven shutout innings in the Braves' pair of victories in Saturday's doubleheader.

After Chirinos retired the Mets in order in the fourth, another single from Ortega opened the fifth. 

Brandon Nimmo then followed with a single, and after Francisco Lindor bounced into a force out, which brought home Ortega to make it 3-2 Atlanta. McNeil then singled, his third of the night, and that was followed by Pete Alonso reaching on a force out.

Then, Chirinos lost the strike zone, as he walked Daniel Vogelbach to load the bases, and Omar Narvaez then drew a walk to force in a run and tie the game.

That was all for Chirinos, and in came Collin McHugh. Mark Vientos drew another bases-loaded walk to bring in Alonso and put the Mets up, 4-3. D.J. Stewart was up next, and Atlanta catcher Sean Murphy's glove got in the way of his swing and that's enough for catcher's interference, which gave Stewart first base and forced in another run to make it 5-3 Mets.

Ortega then laced one to right field to bring in Narvaez and a sliding Vientos, and that sent Citi Field into a frenzy, and the Mets were up, 7-3.

They would make each and every one of those runs stand up, as Atlanta came back. Murphy hit a solo shot in the seventh, his 20th of the season, off Grant Hartwig, and then Matt Olson blasted a two-run shot to right-center field that made it 7-6 Mets. That was Olson's league-leading 43rd home run of the season, and he now has 107 RBI on the season, as well.

Adam Ottavino came on for the Mets in the ninth, and he retired Atlanta in order to earn his seventh save of the season.