Mets’ Bats Remain Quiet in 4-0 Loss to Braves

The New York Mets were shutout by the Atlanta Braves on Sunday by a score of 4-0 (Box Score).

It was an odd day to say the least as general manager Brodie Van Wagenen and the Mets announced the unsettling news that Yoenis Cespedes did not show up to the ballpark and they were unable to get in contact with him.

The team released an update in the fourth inning that they did not have reason to believe his safety was at risk.

After the game, Van Wagenen told the press that Cespedes decided to opt-out for the rest of the season due to Covid-19 reasons.

Piggybacking off the Cespedes news, the other theme of the game was the lack of run support and anemic hitting with runners in scoring position going 1-for-15 as the Mets dropped their fifth straight.

Pitching

Coming off an impressive major league debut in his first career start on Tuesday night, David Peterson was solid going six innings and allowing three runs while striking out a career high eight batters.

In the bottom of the first, Peterson worked around a one-out single by getting Met killer Freddie Freeman to ground into an inning ending double play.

Peterson came out firing in his second inning of work striking out back-to-back batters and getting Johan Camargo to fly out to end a quick half.

In the bottom of the third, Peterson found himself in trouble allowing back-to-back hits to put runners on second-and-third with no outs. Adeiny Hechavarria grounded out to McNeil at third who went home to prevent the run, but Adam Duvall was able to retreat back to the base without an out being recorded. This loaded the bases with no outs for Acuna.

Peterson could not find the strike zone walking Acuna on four pitches to score the game’s first run. The left-hander recovered to strike out Swanson for the first out.

Freeman grounded into the shift to plate the game’s second run as no one was covering second due to the alignment. A groundout by Ozuna helped Peterson get out of the jam with only two runs allowed.

With one out in the fourth, the Braves extended their lead to 3-0 as Camargo blasted a solo home run to left field. This was the first homer Peterson has allowed in his major league career.

The Braves bats weren’t done there as Duvall followed things up with a double to the right center gap. However, Peterson was able to stop the bleeding with back-t0-back strikeouts to get out of the fourth.

Luis Rojas brought in the recently demoted Edwin Diaz in the seventh inning to try and bounce back from a rough outing. Diaz walked the leadoff batter in Duvall but came back to strikeout Austin Riley.

In the next at bat, Ozuna lined out to a leaping Cano at second, who quickly fired over to first to double up Duvall and get Diaz out of the inning.

Drew Smith entered to handle the eighth inning duties and gave up an RBI single to Freeman making the score 4-0 Braves.

Offense

The bats faced off against right hander Kyle Wright.

Wright only lasted three and a third allowing no runs, while walking four and striking out five.

Brandon Nimmo got things started by drawing a leadoff walk to start the afternoon. Wright, who was struggling to find the strike zone early, fell behind Jeff McNeil before allowing a single to him that snuck through the right side of the infield.

This set up first-and-third with no outs for Pete Alonso. The power hitting first baseman’s slump continued as he popped out to the shortstop for the first out of the game.

Michael Conforto stepped to the dish and drew the second walk of the inning to load the bases for the red hot Robinson Cano.

Unfortunately, Cano hit one sharply but right where the shortstop was playing for an inning ending double play. This allowed Wright to escape the jam unscathed.

Dominic Smith worked a one out walk in the top of the second, which Amed Rosario followed up with a single to right. Backup catcher Tomas Nido produced a slow roller to third to move the runners over.

In his second at-bat, Nimmo had runners on second-and-third with two outs but could not come through striking out to end the frame.

McNeil ripped a liner to start off the third to a sliding Ronald Acuna Jr. in center, who dropped the ball allowing McNeil to get to second.

After Alonso struck out on three pitches, Conforto worked his second walk of the day to again put two on for Cano.

Looking to redeem himself, Cano chased a slider to strike out on three pitches. J.D. Davis‘s rough stretch at the plate also carried on as he struck out to end the inning.

Smith got things going in the fourth with a leadoff single to right center. Rosario sent a shot to center which turned around Acuna but he was somehow able to recover and make the catch.

Nido banked one up the middle off Wright for a single to setup another situation with runners in scoring position for Nimmo. As a result, Brian Snitker pulled his starter in favor of lefty reliever Tyler Matzek.

Matzek got Nimmo to ground out to Camargo, who made a fine play to cut the ball off in the hole and flip to second for the out. This left things up to Jeff McNeil with two outs.

But McNeil, like the rest of the Met lineup with runners in scoring position, could not come through striking out against Matzek to end the threat.

Davis got things going in the top of the sixth with a leadoff double. After Smith struck out, Rosario grounded one in the hole for an infield single to put runners on first-and-third for Nido with one out.

This caused Snitker to bring in lefty A.J. Minter, who induced a double play groundout to end the inning.

McNeil recorded his third hit of the day to get on with one-out in the top of the seventh. This made Snitker go to righty Shane Greene to face Alonso.

Alonso struck out looking for the second out and Conforto flied out to right center to end the inning.

Cano led off the top of the eighth with an opposite field single. But that’s all the Mets bats could muster up in another scoreless frame.

Andres Gimenez pinch hit for Nido to start the ninth and produced a single to lead things off. Nimmo drew a walk to put runners on first-and-third with no outs for McNeil.

Mark Melancon bared down and struck out McNeil on three pitches. This brought up Alonso, who flied out to right for the second out.

Down to their final out of the afternoon, Conforto stepped in and bounced out to end the game.

On Deck

Jacob deGrom takes the mound looking for his first win of the season as the Mets try and avoid a four game sweep on Monday.

Mike Soroka goes for the Braves as the first pitch will be at 7:10 pm EST and the game can be seen on SNY and FS1.