Atlanta Braves Clippings

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Braves.com

Cahill unravels in the fifth as the Braves fall to Mets

By Mark Bowman and Joe Trezza / MLB.com | 1:07 AM ET

NEW YORK -- Curtis Granderson drove in four runs and Jon Niese carried a shutout bid into the seventh inning as the Mets extended their winning streak to nine games with Tuesday night's 7-1 win over the Braves at Citi Field.

Cameron Maybin's two-out homer in the seventh inning accounted for the only run surrendered by Niese, who completed 6 2/3 innings with the assistance of the four-run fifth inning the Mets compiled against Braves starting pitcher Trevor Cahill.

Granderson's two-run single keyed the fifth-inning uprising that was aided by second baseman Phil Gosselin's inability to record an out on Niese's potential double-play grounder.

The error, just the second committed by the Braves all season, doomed Cahill, who had retired 12 of the previous 14 batters he faced before allowing six straight Mets to reach safely to begin the bottom of the fifth.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Deflating fifth: Cahill's command during the bottom of the fifth faltered, which began with Eric Campbell drawing a six-pitch walk. Stamina might have been an issue for the right-hander, who had made just one start since completing Spring Training with five innings in a Minor League game. But if Gosselin had turned the double play, Cahill might have gotten into the sixth inning facing just a one-run deficit.

Plawecki performs well: Catcher Kevin Plawecki became the sixth Mets player to collect two hits and score two runs in his debut. Carlos Gomez last did it in 2007. Plawecki singled in the fifth and eighth, both times scoring on hits by Granderson. He also also threw out Andrelton Simmons attempting to advance to second base on a ball in the dirt in the sixth.

Curtis comes through: After entering the game hitting .146 and mired in a 1-for-16 slump, Granderson's sharp grounder to right in the fifth gave him his first two RBIs of the season. Mets manager Terry Collins has stuck with Granderson in the leadoff spot because of the veteran's ability to get on base and because he's hit into some tough early season luck. Granderson finished with four RBIs after adding a run-scoring single in the sixth and RBI double in the eighth.

Freeman's freeze: Freddie Freeman entered Tuesday having hit .359 with a .976 OPS over the past two seasons at Citi Field. But Atlanta's latest "Mets Killer" struck out three times in this series opener. The All-Star first baseman grounded out with runners at first and second to end the top of the fifth and stranded two more runners when he struck out against lefty specialist Alex Torres to end the top of the seventh.

QUOTABLE

"I felt comfortable after that first at-bat. I was just happy to make contact to be honest. After that I was pretty excited. I just got back to playing baseball." --Plawecki, on his feelings after his first at-bat in the Majors

"It was big. If I make that play we maybe get out of there giving up only one run and Trevor stays in the game. It [stinks] when you let the team down." --Gosselin, on his fifth-inning error.

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Niese has posted a 3.19 ERA while holding opponents to three earned runs or less in 33 of his past 36 starts, dating back to Sept. 19, 2013. Meanwhile Cahill, has allowed four runs or more in 10 of the 19 starts he has made since the start of the 2014 season.

REPLAY REVIEW

Maybin's seventh-inning home run was ruled a double until a 1-minute, 17-second replay review showed that his long drive bounced off the orange outfield wall padding and made contact with the metal railing beyond the wall.

WHAT'S NEXT

Braves: The Braves will attempt to get back on track when they resume this three-game set against the Mets on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. ET. Eric Stults will be looking to be slighltly better than he was during his April 10 season debut, during which he proved perfect through three innings and then allowed the Mets three runs in the fourth.

Mets: Dillon Gee starts for New York with some added pressure as the Mets continue to prepare Rafael Montero for a trial stint in the rotation. Gee will get at least one more start before Montero pitches April 28 at Miami. Gee has struggled so far to the tune of a 7.59 ERA through two starts.

Cahill encouraged by solid first four innings vs. Mets

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | 12:26 AM ET

NEW YORK -- Considering how ineffective he was all of last year and during his only previous start this season, there was actually reason to wonder if Trevor Cahill should have been encouraged by the four-plus innings he completed for the Braves during Tuesday night's 7-1 loss to the Mets at Citi Field.

Cahill was nearly perfect through the four innings he completed before his command wavered and second baseman Phil Gosselin committed a costly error during the decisive four-run fifth inning. But as the former All-Star pitcher walked away from yet another disappointing result, he shouldered much of the blame.

"Your goal every time out there is to put up a quality start," Cahill said. "I was a little bit better than last time, but at the same time, you'd like to at least get through six [innings]. Through the first four, I had the pitch count and I was going well enough that I was thinking I could go past that. But then I kind of let things unravel there."

Considering he had retired just seven of the 15 batters he had faced while making his only previous regular season start last week against the Marlins, Cahill certainly showed some improvement despite allowing the Mets four runs -- three earned -- and five hits over four innings.

Cahill retired 12 of the first 14 batters and totaled 49 pitches while recording seven ground-ball outs through the first four innings. But his promising outing faded when he walked Eric Campbell to begin the bottom of the fifth and then surrendered consecutive singles before Gosselin fumbled Jon Niese's routine double-play grounder.

"I thought he did a nice job," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "His job is to have the other team put the ball in play on the ground and he did that. A couple balls got through the infield and we don't make a play behind him on a double-play ball and that inning just kind of unravels on him."

Considering that the Braves made a $5.5 million commitment when they acquired Cahill from the D-backs on March 30, Gonzalez has no choice but to hope Tuesday's first four innings were an indication that things might soon turn around for the veteran hurler, who has posted a 6.56 ERA in the 19 starts he has made since the start of last season.

"I felt like I was in control the whole game when I was out of the windup a lot," Cahill said. "Then the leadoff guy got on [in the fifth] and I gave up a couple hits when I was out of the stretch. I just felt like my command went away after that."

Gosselin's inability to record a single out on Niese's grounder set the stage for Curtis Granderson to deliver a two-run single. Cahill's once-promising outing ended moments later with Juan Lagares' RBI single.

Cahill felt pitching out of the stretch might have had a greater effect on him than the lack of stamina he might have had while pitching into the fifth inning for the first time since completing five innings in a Minor League Spring Training game on April 5.

"I was going pretty well and then they got me out of the stretch and after that, it was just a struggle," Cahill said.

Gosselin laments error that allowed four-run fifth inning

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | 12:46 AM ET

NEW YORK -- Despite the fact that they have mixed and matched their lineup at various positions through the season's first two weeks, the Braves have proven to be one of the game's best defensive clubs.

But manager Fredi Gonzalez's decision to start Phil Gosselin at second base on Tuesday night proved costly as the utility infielder committed an error that helped the Mets roll toward a 7-1 win.

"Goose is going to go back and not sleep real well because he makes that play every single time," Gonzalez said. "It's just one of those things where maybe he hadn't been out there in a while and got a little jumpy."

Making just his third start of the season and first appearance since handling third base duties throughout last Wednesday's loss to the Marlins, Gosselin watched the Mets tally three runs after he botched Jon Niese's routine double play grounder during a four-run fifth inning.

"I think I'm going to make that play every time it's hit to me," Gosselin said. "Unfortunately, it didn't happen today. I think I just tried to throw it before I caught it a little bit. I just tried to be too quick. It's a play I'm confident I'm going to make. It just didn't happen tonight."

Gosselin's miscue, just the second error charged to the Braves this season, set the stage for Curtis Granderson to follow with a two-run single. Trevor Cahill, who had retired 12 of the 14 batters he faced through the first four innings, exited moments later after Juan Lagares capped the four-run fifth with a RBI single.

Jace Peterson began the season as Atlanta's primary second baseman. But the rookie infielder has recorded just seven hits through his first 33 at-bats. Gosselin had made his only previous start at second base on April 10, when he delivered a game-winning, eighth-inning single against the Mets.

Mets-Braves rivalry rediscovering cachet

By Marty Noble / MLB.com | April 21, 2015

NEW YORK -- The Braves are here. Has anyone noticed? And among those who are aware of their presence, are there some who are passionate -- one way of the other -- about the "A" team? Does anyone here hate them, fear them, like them, root for or against them? Does anyone here in the Big City or in the big Citi give a wit that the second-place team in the National League East is in town for three nights to engage the first-place New York Mets?

It seemed not on Tuesday evening, when Jon Niese and troubled Trevor Cahill -- his ERA coming in was a robust 15.43 -- were to pitch opposite each other, and when the hottest team in the league put the game's longest active winning streak on the line against the surprisingly buoyant Bravos.

Pregame intros barely prompted a Bronx cheer in Queens. No one offered a sing-song chant of the Braves third baseman's christened name like the one we used to hear when Larry Jones brought his game to Shea. No Braves player offered a census/critique of the 7 train passengers. And the center fielder, now Cameron Maybin, didn't move the foul lines closer to each other with his defensive genius. Indeed, that was left to the current best center fielder in the game -- Juan Lagares of the Mets.

Yes, the Braves are here. And no, it's not apathy they prompt. But in comparison to what they caused when they visited in the late '90s and through the first half of last decade, their presence barely registered on the NYC seismograph. Too bad. It was so much fun while it lasted.

Mets at Braves or Braves at Mets was quite special then. The rivalry didn't have the roots or long legs of Yankees-Red Sox. And Greg Maddux never threw Cookie Rojas to the ground. But the rivalry was as good as anything the NL provided in those years, better than even Cubs-Cardinals or Dodgers-Giants.

From 1997-2006, the year the Mets finally denied the Braves their accustomed spot atop the standings, the rivalry was heated, the baseball was entertaining and passion flowed. We miss that now. Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz were as classy as they were dominant. Chipper Jones or Andruw Jones could change the course of a game single-handedly. And oh, how those Braves teams loved to beat the Mets.

Games at Shea or the Ted were not merely scheduled assignments for Bobby Cox's teams, they were opportunities to kick Bobby Valentine's derriere. And other than piling up pennants, those Braves enjoyed nothing so much as beating Bobby V. After the already-clinched Braves eliminated the Mets on the final afternoon of the 1998 season, Chipper's first comment was, "I guess we knocked him off the top step," a reference to the nickname "Top Step" opponents had given Valentine -- a nickname the Mets manager didn't appreciate.

It was earlier in that Mets-deflating series that Jones had inquired about comments attributed to Valentine. His questions answered, Jones said "That's why we want to crush him. The way we feel about him ... it's like we have a 10th man."

The Mets didn't hate the Braves, but they were so frustrated by them. Their frustration merged with time and formed motivation.

"No lie, we want to beat them bad," Lenny Harris said in 1998. "But to us, they're like a straitjacket -- they don't let us do anything."

The '99 Mets, with their brilliant infield defense and their balanced batting order, were a more formidable team than the team that reached the World Series in 2000. But they couldn't handle the Braves, losing nine of 12 games to them, as they had in '98. Mike Piazza said he considered Turner Field a temple of doom.

Now, the stubbed toe seemingly is on the other foot. The Mets have the superior rotation, even without Zack Wheeler. They have the brilliant center fielder. And these Mets have first place -- albeit after merely 14 games. The Braves have played 13 and won eight, two of them against the Mets.

When the Braves were the primary obstacle in the Mets' path, they steamrolled the division in the first 40 games. So we'll have a better idea come May 19 if weather doesn't interfere. By then, the Mets will have played the Yankees, Orioles, Cubs, Nationals again and -- who knows? -- maybe Wally Backman's Marlins.

But for two more nights, it's the Braves without a Mound Rushmore, Chipper and Andruw, Javy, Galarraga, Rocker and all his baggage. Without Craig Kimbrel too. They're not a poor team. But they're not a team with a bye to the NL Championship Series either.

The embers of an intense rivalry with the Mets have been largely extinguished.

Rivalries come and go. The Mets had hot ones with the Cubs and Cardinals before the Braves came to matter to them. The Phillies became obstacles, too, but no more. Each rivalry was intense. But Mets-Braves seemed more intense than the others, more enjoyable and certainly more taut than the Mets 7, Braves 1 presentation staged Tuesday night.

Perhaps some of the Citi folk will jeer on Wednesday when Eric Stults orFreddie Freeman is introduced. Maybe Dillon Gee will push Nick Markakis off the plate, or Daniel Murphy will take exception to a hard slide at second. Perhaps a match will be struck, and we'll witness passion in the dugouts and the stands. Maybe the Mets will continue their roll with a mundane victory similar to what they produced Tuesday.

They would accept that. Drama makes memories. Bland victories can too.

Braves disappointed with McKirahan after his suspension

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | April 21, 2015

NEW YORK -- Less than 10 minutes after the Braves completed Sunday's series-clinching victory over the Blue Jays in Toronto, rookie left-handed reliever Andrew McKirahan sobered the celebratory mood by informing his teammates and manager Fredi Gonzalez that he tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug and would consequently draw an 80-game suspension from Major League Baseball.

"We won a series in Toronto against a team that is pretty good and it kind of put a little downer on that moment," Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "Whatever he did, he did and it's disappointing."

Disappointment was a common sentiment expressed by Braves players in regard to McKirahan, who drew his 80-game suspension on Monday, when it was announced he had tested positive for Ipamorelin, a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of Major League Baseball Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

McKirahan's positive test was performed in March, while he was still in Spring Training with the Marlins, who had selected him during December's Rule 5 Draft. The Braves claimed the 25-year-old reliever off waivers on April 2 with the expectation that he would be a part of their bullpen throughout this season.

"The thing that bothers you is guys keep trying to beat the system," Gonzalez said. "Andrew was tested during Spring Training, so he wasn't with us. But that doesn't make it right or wrong. You're just getting caught and if you're not smart enough to realize Major League Baseball is serious about this, then you're not real smart."

Along with being suspended until July 8, McKirahan's punishment also prohibits him from any potential postseason appearance this year. His suspension comes just two weeks after another Braves rookie reliever --Arodys Vizcaino -- also drew a 80-game suspension for testing positive for Stanozolol.

"The reason to do it is the obvious reason, everybody wants to be in the big leagues and sometimes you're on that cusp of things," Braves veteran closer Jason Grilli said. "But knowing what's at stake, blood, sweat and tears to me is the way to go. We have a list of things we can take and if it's not on that list, then don't take it. It's that simple."

McKirahan, who had made three appearances out of Atlanta's bullpen this year, informed his teammates that he believed the positive test came as a result of a cream he applied while battling a dead arm during Spring Training.

"I'm not buying the 'I don't know what I was taking' anymore, because every meeting I've been to or every article or memo I've read has spelled it out plain as day," Gonzalez said. "If it does not says NSF [Certified for Sport] on the back of the [package] then don't take it."

Braves recall lefty Thomas from Triple-A

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | April 21, 2015

NEW YORK -- Upon learning that it would be without left-handed reliever Andrew McKirahan for nearly three months, the active Braves front office began evaluating ways to strengthen its depleted bullpen via the trade market.

But with limited attractive options currently available, the Braves opted to recall left-handed reliever Ian Thomas from Triple-A Gwinnett. Thomas fills the roster spot and role previously held by McKirahan, who received a 80-game suspension on Monday for testing positive for Ipamorelin, a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of Major League Baseball Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

"It feels good to be back," Thomas said. "I'm going to try to stay up as long as I can and work diligently on my progression and health."

Thomas began this season with Double-A Mississippi and then earned a promotion to Gwinnett's roster last week. The 28-year-old southpaw posted a 4.66 ERA in the 16 appearances he made after spending the first two months of last season as a member of Atlanta's bullpen.

The Braves were encouraged by what they saw recently from Thomas, who surrendered just one hit while combining for six scoreless innings for Mississippi and Gwinnett this year.

"We cut him early in Spring Training, but from all the reports I've read, he took it as a challenge and he behaved down there and didn't pout one second," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "Now, here we are two weeks into the season and he's ready to come back up and help us win ballgames. It's nice to know that we've seen him before and we know what to expect."

Gee, Mets face Braves as they go for 10th straight win

By Joe Trezza / MLB.com | 4/21/2015 11:21 PM ET

The Mets and Braves continue their three-game series at Citi Field on Wednesday with Dillon Gee opposing Eric Stults as New York goes for its 10th straight win.

Both pitchers have struggled early this season and carry 0-1 records into the game.

The Mets' 11-3 start is their best since they began their 1986 World Series championship season with the same record. Their eight straight home wins to start the season is the best in team history.

Atlanta is the only team to have defeated the Mets in a series this season, having done so at Turner Field April 10-12.

Things to know about this game

• Gee is two starts away from tying Dwight Gooden's club record of 50 consecutive starts of at least five innings. But Gee has allowed at least four runs in each of his first two starts and is in danger of losing his rotation spot to Rafael Montero.

• Mets' No. 2 prospect Kevin Plawecki made his Major League debut Tuesday with two hits and two runs scored. He became the first Mets player to accomplish that feat in his debut since Carlos Gomez in 2007. He assumes the No.1 catching duty with Travis d'Arnaud on the disabled list with a broken bone in his hand.

• Stults made the Braves rotation out of Spring Training after spending the last three seasons with the San Diego Padres.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Braves quotes after Tuesday’s 7-1 road loss to the Mets

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

NEW YORK — Braves quotes from Phil Gosselin, Trevor Cahill and Fredi Gonzalez after Tuesday’s series-opening loss to the Mets.

**PHIL GOSSELIN

On his costly error

“No excuses. Trevor made a very good pitch there, should have been a double play. I just didn’t make the play.”

“I think I’m going to make that play every time it’s hit to me. Unfortnately it didn’t happen today. I think I just tried to throw it before I caught it, just tried to be too quick. It’s a play I’m confident I’m going to make, it just didn’t happen tonight.”

How much did that play change the game?

“It was big. If I make that play we maybe get out of there with only one run (allowed), and Trevor’s still in the game, saves our bullpen. It sucks when you let the team down like that, but hopefully we can come back tomorrow and get a win.”

On Trevor’s performance after last week’s struggles

“He was really good. Changeup looked good, getting a lot of ground balls. Even that one inning when I made the error, a couple of (hits) were just ground balls that found holes. So he looked really good. Could have easily went another inning or two if I make that play and maybe get out of there with one run.”

What was Jonathon Niese doing that made his so effective?

“Just mixing it up. He always does a good job mixing it up. Cutter, changeup, curveball. You can never really sit on a pitch because he mixes it up good. He throws strikes and makes you beat him.”

**TREVOR CAHILL

On progress since last start

“I felt good. Just that one inning, that leadoff walk just kills you. And I left a couple of pitches up. Up to that point I was going pretty well, and when they got me out of the stretch, after that it was a struggle.”

Can you be encouraged by the improvement?

“Not really. I still, you go out there every time to put up a quality start. It was a little bit better than last time, but at the same time you like to at least get through six, and I feel like the first four I definitely had the pitch count and I was thinking I could go past that. Kind of just let things unravel in the fifth.”

Pitching from stretch been more difficult for you so far?

“No, it was just kind of different. Because I felt like I was in control the whole game when I was using my windup a lot. Then they got a couple of people on, couple of hits, and I was out of the stretch. It just felt like my command after that went away.”

On the Gosselin error, could have been a different outcome if not for that?

“That stuff’s going to happen. It’s our job to pick him up and get out of it, minimize (damage) as much as I can. It was tough that I wasn’t able to do that.”

Stamina an issue in the fifth?

“I don’t know. I felt good. Felt pretty much the same. I felt like it was coming out (of his hand) the same way.”

**FREDI GONZALEZ

Encouraged by Cahill at least for first four innings?

“If you go back and look at it, I thought he did a nice job. His job is to have the other team put the ball in play, put the ball in play on the ground. And he did that. Couple of balls got through the infield. We don’t make a play behind him on the double-play ball and, well, that inning just kind of unravels on him. But I was pleased that, I think other than a couple of hits, were balls through the infield, ground balls. So that’s encouraging. I thought it was an improvement from the start before, and now he goes back out in four or five days and build on that.”

On Gosselin’s error on routine play

“Yeah, that’s a routine play, and I’m sure Goose is going to go back and not sleep real good, because he makes that play, shoot, almost every time. Maybe he hadn’t been out there in a while and got a little jumpy, but he makes that play every single time of the day.”

On Cahill’s sinker, did it look better than last week?

“It looked better, and I think the proof is ground balls. The first five hitters, six hitters, hit balls on the ground. For me, that’s a good, encouraging sign that that sinker is sinking. Guys are putting the ball on the ground.”

On going 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, was that more Niese or you guys, or both?

“You’ve got to give him a little bit of credit. We had him on the ropes a few times, but we just couldn’t punch it through.”

On Mets’ nine-game streak and 11-3 start

“Well, they’ve got good players. They’ve really got good players, and sometimes when they’re up against it — they lost three guys in a matter of two or three days. But they’ve got a good club, a dangerous club, and they’re playing really good baseball right now.”

Did you expect or know Maybin could do this, three homers already?

“He’s got some juice. You make a mistake with him and he can run you out of the ballpark.”

Cahill hits wall in 5th, streaking Mets beat Braves 7-1

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

NEW YORK —For four innings Tuesday night against the Mets, Trevor Cahill made Braves pitching coaching Roger McDowell look like some sort of sinkerball whisperer, capable of turning around even the most troubled practitioners of the pitch.

But after retiring 12 of the first 14 batters and allowing one hit through four innings, Cahill was undone in the fifth by a leadoff walk, several well-struck ground-ball singles, and a costly error by second baseman Phil Gosselin. The streaking Mets scored four runs in the inning and rolled to a series-opening 7-1 win against the Braves at Citi Field.

The Mets have a nine-game winning streak and the best record (11-3) in the National League, and they matched their best 14-game start in franchise history in 1986. Cameron Maybin’s seventh-inning home run was the only damage done against Mets left-hander Jonathon Niese, who gave up four hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings.

Cahill made progress since his dreadful Braves debut last week, but the husky pitcher still gave up five hits, four runs (three earned) and one walk. He fell to 0-2 with a 9.95 ERA in two starts for the Braves and 0-6 with a 9.09 ERA in eight starts since late August.

“I thought he did a nice job,” said manager Fredi Gonzalez, whose Braves lost for just the second time in seven road games. “His job is to have the other team put the ball in play, put the ball in play on the ground. And he did that. Couple of balls got through the infield. We don’t make a play behind him on the double-play ball and, well, that inning just kind of unravels on him. But I was pleased that, I think other than a couple of hits, the others were balls through the infield, ground balls. So that’s encouraging.

“I thought it was an improvement from the start before, and now he goes back out in four or five days and builds on that.”

Cahill gave up five hits, four runs and three walks in just 2 1/3 innings in an April 14 loss to the Marlins in his season debut. Tuesday’s game marked the fifth time he lasted four or fewer innings in that stretch during his past eight starts, a fact that made it tough for him to draw any satisfaction from incremental progress.

“Not really,” he said. “You go out there every time to put up a quality start. It was a little bit better than last time, but at the same time you like to at least get through six, and I feel like the first four I definitely had the pitch count and I was thinking I could go past that. Kind of just let things unravel in the fifth.”

The only Mets to reach against him through four innings were Eric Campbell on a two-out single in the second inning and Michael Cuddyer on a two-out error by Chris Johnson in the fourth, a tough call considering the difficulty of the play.

The same could not be said for the error by Gosselin in the fifth.

After Campbell led off the inning with a walk, catcher Kevin Plawlecki singled in his major league debut and Wilmer Flores singled to load the bases with none out. Cahill fell behind 3-0 in the count against Niese before inducing a grounder to second base on a 3-1 pitch. It looked like the Braves would give up a run but get a double play.

But Gosselin dropped the grounder, allowing a run to score and keeping the bases loaded with none out.

“No excuses,” said Gosselin, who made his third start of the season and second start at second base. “Trevor made a very good pitch there, should have been a double play. I just didn’t make the play.

“I think I’m going to make that play every time it’s hit to me. Unfortunately it didn’t happen today. I think I just tried to throw it before I caught it, just tried to be too quick. It’s a play I’m confident I’m going to make, it just didn’t happen tonight.”

The Braves had a majors-low one error in 12 games before Tuesday.

“That’s a routine play,” Gonzalez said, “and I’m sure Goose is going to go back and not sleep real good, because he makes that play, shoot, almost every time. Maybe he hadn’t been out there in a while and got a little jumpy.”

Gosselin’s error helped open the floodgates on Cahill, who gave up a two-run single to the next batter, Curtis Granderson, and another run-scoring single to Juan Lagares to push the lead to 4-0 and bring out manager Fredi Gonzalez to make a pitching change.

Cahill said he should have done a better job minimizing the damage better after the Gosselin error.

“That stuff (errors) is going to happen,” he said. “It’s our job to pick him up and get out of it, minimize as much as I can. It was tough that I wasn’t able to do that.”

Cahill said for some reason he got out of his rhythm when the Mets got some baserunners on and he had to pitch out of the stretch.

“Because I felt like I was in control the whole game when I was using my windup a lot,” he said. “Then they got a couple of people on, couple of hits, and I was out of the stretch. It just felt like my command after that went away.”

Other than the pitch to Maybin, the Braves didn’t make Niese or the rest of the Mets pay for any mistakes. He walked the next two batters after Maybin’s two-out homer, but reliever Alex Torres struck out Freddie Freeman looking to end the inning. The Braves were hitless in five at-bats with runners in scoring position.

“You’ve got to give (Niese) a little bit of credit,” Gonzalez said. “We had him on the ropes a few times, but we just couldn’t punch it through.”

Meanwhile, Cahill continues trying to get back to at least something resembling the pitcher he was a couple of seasons ago, before the former Oakland All-Star’s ERA ballooned from consecutive sub-4.00 seasons with Arizona to 5.61 in his 3-12 season in 2014.

In 15 starts since the All-Star break, Cahill is 2-8 with a 5.95 ERA and only five quality starts. The Diamondbacks traded the right-hander to the Braves in the final week of spring training for minor league outfielder Josh Elander. Arizona sent $6.5 million to the Braves cover more than half of his $12 million salary, and the Braves also got a draft pick (75th overall selection) in the deal.

Through the season’s first half-month, the Braves’ top three starters and main bullpen contributors have looked solid, but the back end of the rotation has not with Cahill and the well-traveled lefty Eric Stults, who takes a 6.30 ERA into his third start Wednesday.

Mets 7, Braves 1

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

How the game was won: The Mets had only one hit until the fifth inning, when they scored four runs (three earned) against Braves pitcher Trevor Cahill and rolled to a 7-1 series-opening win at Citi Field, the ninth in a row for the division-leading New Yorkers. Cahill (0-2) retired 12 of the first 14 batters, but the wheels came off the wagon in the fifth when the Mets peppered him with ground-ball singles and took advantage of a big error by second baseman Phil Gosselin on a would-be double-play grounder by Mets pitcher Jonathon Niese. Cahill left without recording an out in the inning.

Number: 6. The number of Mets batters who reached base consecutively to start the sixth inning and chase Cahill from the game. A leadoff walk was followed by two singles, Gosselin’s error and two more singles

Next: The teams play the second game of a three-game series Wednesday night, when Braves lefty Eric Stults (6.39 ERA) faces Mets right-hander Dillon Gee (7.59 ERA).

Braves recall lefty Thomas from Triple-A

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

NEW YORK – Ian Thomas was a feel-good story as a 27-year-old Braves rookie reliever early last season, a guy who’d paid his dues pitching several years in independent league outposts.

Then he was sent back to the minors and shut down for much of the second half with shoulder pain.

Then he was optioned to Double-A this spring training, and the big left-hander had reason to wonder if his window was already closing or closed. But Thomas didn’t look at it that way, and the fact that he didn’t is a big reason he’s back.

The Braves recalled Thomas from Triple-A – he was promoted from Double-A after two appearances – on Tuesday to replace suspended lefty Andrew McKirahan, who’ll be out 80 games without pay after a positive performance-enhancing drug test.

Former major league lefty Greg Smith also signed a minor league contract with the Braves and was assigned to Gwinnett.

Thomas got the call Monday on his 28th birthday and joined the Braves in New York for Tuesday night’s series opener against the Mets. He had recorded seven strikeouts and only one hit allowed in 6 1/3 scoreless innings over four appearances, two apiece in Double-A and Triple-A.

“He had some success for us last year in that role,” Gonzalez said of the sinkerballer, who had a 4.22 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 10 in 10 2/3 innings over 16 appearances for Atlanta last season, with 10 hits and one walk allowed. “He went down and we cut him early in spring training, but all the reports that I’ve gotten say he took it as a challenge, and he behaved down there tremendously. Work ethic, didn’t pout one second. And here it is, two weeks into the season and he’s ready to come back up and help us win ballgames.

“And it’s nice to know that we’ve seen him before, because we know what to expect.”

Thomas didn’t get down on himself or the team after being optioned to Double-A during spring training. He used it as motivation.

“I thought it was a little test, from last year, to see how I’d be able to deal with a little adversity,” he said. “I was having health issues last year, too. Want to see how I do on the bounce back. Going back to Mississippi, I felt like I was taking a couple of steps backward. But at the end of the day, it’s really the progression, how I can produce and move forward with it.

“It was a little bit of a whirlwind. But now it feels good to be back.”

Braves among early leaders in homers, RISPing

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Braves hit five homers in their three-game weekend series at Toronto to raise their total to 13 in 12 games, third-most in the National League before Tuesday behind the Dodgers (17) and Nationals (14). Unlike those teams, the Braves weren’t expected to hit a lot of homers this season.

Freddie Freeman led the Braves with four homers before Tuesday, all in his past eight games.

“Freddie can hit 30 (homers) that’s probably it,” Braves veteran Kelly Johnson said of the team’s power hitters. “We have some guys capable of hitting 20, and after that it’s really more about, if you get enough playing time to hit 20. But we have some guys who can hit it out. A.J. (Pierzynki) has had some huge power numbers (in his career), and Jonny (Gomes) and me have some pop. Christian (Bethancourt) has got pop; I don’t know if he’s ever had big numbers, but it’s there.

“But I anticipate it being, by the end of the year, maybe best-case us being in the middle of the pack in terms of team homers. But I think we’re finally at that point where that really doesn’t matter. Those are kind of a bonus. Teams don’t have to hit for big power to win, obviously.”

In a small-sample-size oddity, the Braves had a 4-0 record before Tuesday in games in which they’ve gone homerless, and 4-4 in games in which they hit at least one homer.

More importantly, in the view of many: The Braves were third in the NL with a .305 average with runners in scoring position, after ranking 13th with a .236 average in 2014.

‘Buzzkill’: Braves disappointed in McKirahan after PED suspension

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

NEW YORK – The Braves didn’t have long to celebrate their series-clinching win Sunday at Toronto before a teammate delivered news met with disappointment and some anger.

Rookie left-hander Andrew McKirahan told Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, then the team, that the reliever was about to be suspended for using a performance-enhancing drug.

“He said, ‘I’m going to drop a bombshell on you,’” Gonzalez said. “I said, ‘What’s going on?’ I’m waiting to hear someone in the family died or something, and he says, ‘Tomorrow I’m going to get suspended for 80 games.’

“OK, all right. So we enjoyed this victory for the total of six minutes.”

Said Braves closer Jason Grilli: “Yeah, kind of a buzzkill right after a good series. Kind of a buzzkill.”

The suspension was announced by the commissioner’s office Monday. The Braves called up rookie left-hander Ian Thomas from Triple-A Gwinnett to take the place of McKirahan, who was claimed on waivers from the Marlins at the end of spring training and had shown promise.

He retired both batters he faced in Sunday’s 5-2 win, including one strikeout, and had allowed three hits and two runs in 4 1/3 innings, with one walk and two strikeouts in three appearances.

Now he’s suspended without pay for 80 games after testing positive for Ipamorelin, a growth hormone. The suspension came less than three weeks after another Braves rookie reliever, hard-throwing Arodys Vizcaino, was also suspended 80 games after a positive PED test. In addition to the 80 games, neither would be eligible for postseason play this year if the Braves advance.

The suspensions are particularly problematic because the Braves have a good bullpen, but not a deep one.

Because McKirahan was a Rule 5 pick by the Marlins from the Cubs in December, the Braves have to keep him on their 25-man roster for the rest of the season once he’s eligible. But not until after the 80-game suspension. The Braves didn’t downplay their disappointment in McKirahan, 25.

Testing has become so commonplace that Gonzalez said there are testers in the clubhouse more often than not after games.

“They (testers) are in their all the time, and the thing that bothers you is guys keep trying to beat the system,” Gonzalez said. “I think Andrew was tested during spring training (with the Marlins), so obviously he wasn’t with us. That doesn’t make it right or wrong, but it’s just a matter of, you’re getting caught, and if you’re not smart enough to realize major league baseball is serious about this and they should be, then you’re not real smart. I know some of our veteran guys are upset. Guys keep getting caught and then all of a sudden you’re hurting the team.”

McKiran was just emerging as another reliever the Braves might be comfortable using in close games, in addition to the five-man core that’s gotten most of the important innings those situations – Grilli, setup man Jim Johnson, left-hander Luis Avilan and rookies Brandon Cunniff and Cody Martin.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s old news,” Grilli said. “Just new players that want to take the risk and gamble, and the penalties are in place. So if you want to gamble with your career, then by all means, good luck. It’s a shame because we’re still talking about this stuff.

“We’re all geared toward negative news. Bad news makes THE news, all the time. And it sucks for us because…. All I’m going to say about it is, everybody in this room has come together and backed each other up so far, so to have somebody let you down….”

Grilli said steroids and other PEDs were rampant when he was young player in the early part of last decade, but not nearly so much in today’s game.

“We have a list of things we can take, and if it’s not on that list, then you don’t take it,” he said. “I mean, it’s that simple. It’s spelled out for us. We have as many supplements as we can possibly take. If you want to take your chances by going off that list, then you know what, like I said, it’s on you now.”

Markakis, Freeman solid in middle; about that trip from Toronto….

By David O’Brien

NEW YORK — Only three major league teams have scored more runs than Toronto this season, and Atlanta isn’t one of them. But the Braves outscored the Blue Jays 18-15 in taking two of three during a slugfest of a series that ended Sunday at Toronto, and two principle reasons for the big offensive output were the third and fourth hitters in the lineup.

No, 3 hitter Nick Markakis and No. 4 hitter Freddie Freeman were a combined 12-for-21 with two homers, nine runs, seven walks and only two strikeouts in the Toronto series, with Freeman collecting both homers and both strikeouts and Markakis getting on base in his first nine consecutive plate appearances in the series.

Markakis is 10-for-16 (.625) with a double, five runs, six walks and a .727 OBP in his past five games, and struck out in only one of those games (two K’s against Miami on April 14).

“That’s what we need from those guys,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said after a series-clinching 5-2 win Sunday. “That’s why they hit three and four. I know there’s going to be some times where one’s going to hit and one’s not, but that’s about as good a 3-4 hitters as you want in the major leagues, and then you can mix-and-match with the fifth (spot in the lineup) and all the way down. But good series.”

Markakis is tied with Joey Votte for fifth in the NL with a .375 batting average (15-for-40) and is third with a .479 OBP, behind only Adrian Gonzalez and Votto. Markakis is 11-for-23 (.478) vs. righties and 4-for-17 (.235) vs. lefties, and he’s a major part of the Braves’ situational hitting improvement, going 6-for-12 with runners on base and 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

“He’s a stud,” Braves third baseman Chris Johnson said of Markakis. “It’s fun to watch, man. It’s really fun to watch. Being a guy that played in the American League, I haven’t seen much of him in my career. But you hear about him, and you see what he does. But then to see it firsthand and it see it every single day, it’s real fun to watch. It’s actually a lot of fun to learn from, too.”

Freeman is batting .283 with a .353 OBP and ranked eighth in the NL with a .609 slugging percentage. He has four homers and six RBIs in his past eight games, and hasn’t struck out more than once in his past 10 games.

“Those are two guys that you expect to do those things they’re doing,” said first-year Braves pitcher Shelby Miller, a former Cardinal. “Freddie is the guy hitting in the four hole, driving guys in, and Nick’s done an unbelievable job getting on base, and another guy with power. We’ve got guys with a lot of power as well. And we hit some home runs (at Toronto).

“(But) the biggest thing is to get guys on and drive them in, and that’s what our offense has been doing. They’ve been doing a hell of a job doing that.”

Markakis and Freeman look to continue their hot streaks against the Mets in a three-game series starting tonight at Citi Field. Markakis is the only Brave with a higher career average (.348) and OBP (.400) against the Mets than Freeman (.307/.380), although it only 12 games for Markakis against the Metropolitans, compared to Freeman’s 75 against them.

Also, Freeman’s got a whopping 14 homers, 60 RBIs and a .543 slugging percentrage against the Mets, including five homers and 26 RBIs in 37 games at Citi Field.

By the way, former Met Eric Young Jr. is just a .205 career hitter (63-for-307) with one homer and a .266 OBP in 94 games at Citi Field.

• Manufacturing runs: Here’s a stat that seems to support what Shelby Miller was saying about the Braves’ offense being built around getting guys on and getting them in, rather than hitting homers: The Braves are 4-0 in games in which they’ve gone homerless, and 4-4 in games in which they’ve hit at least one homer.

Not that they don’t want to hit homers; they certainly do. And they can. It’s just that none of the Braves I’ve talked to expect this team to finish as high as they currently are in home-run rankings – tied for third in the NL – bu do believe they can be at least in the top half of the league in scoring runs. They’re currently tied with Colorado for fifth with 53 runs, but the Rockies and three of the four teams who’ve scored more than the Braves have played at least one more game than Atlanta’s 12.

The Dodgers, with 63 runs in 12 games, are the only NL team that’s scored more than the Braves in the same number or fewer games.

• Streaking Mets: The Mets (10-3) and Braves (8-4) are in first and second place and the only NL East teams with winning records in a little over two weeks into the season. Just as everyone figured, right? No? Oh.

The Mets have an eight-game hitting streak with a .285 batting average, 41 runs, seven homers and a 3.00 ERA in that span, which began with a win against the Braves April 12 in the last game of their series at Atlanta, after the Braves won the first two in the series. • Tonight’s matchup: It’s lefty Jonathan Niese against Braves righty Trevor Cahill, who’ll be trying to have a much, much better start than the terrible outing he had in his Atlanta debut last week (five hits, four runs, three walks in 2 1/3 innings vs. Miami).

Niese gave up seven hits, three runs (one earned) and two walks in five innings of an April 10 loss to the Braves, when Cameron Maybin homered off him.

Against Niese, Jonny Gomes is 6-for-10 with a homer and two walks, Freeman is 11-for-40 (.275) with two homers and zero walks, and Maybin is 7-for-28 with two homers.

Cahill needs to snap out of an extended funk that began last summer with the Dbacks. He’s 0-5 with a 9.40 ERA and .317 opponents’ average in seven starts since late August, with 32 strikeouts, 21 walks and four homers among his 39 hits allowed in 29 2/3 innings in that stretch.

Going back to the All-Star break, he’s 2-7 with a 5.90 ERA in his past 14 starts. His only start against the Mets was in 2012, though he did pitch two relief innings against them on May 25 (three hits, one run, three walks).

• Nearly error-free: You might’ve heard, the Braves have made just one error all season, which is two fewer than the next-lowest MLB team totals (Tigers, Rays each have three) and 13 fewer than the Nationals’ majors-high total (10 teams have made at least 10 errors).

But were you aware of this about Markakis: The two-time Gold Glove right fielder has played 338 consecutive error-free games going back to Aug. 11, 2012. In case you’re wondering, the MLB record for consecutive errorless games by an outfielder belongs to Darren Lewis, who had a streak of 392 error-gree games during 1990-1994 with the A’s and Giants.

• Travel hell: And finally, since most of us privately like to hear travel horror stories even worse than our own, I submit this international entry for your consideration.

Getting from Toronto to New York requires, in theory, about one hour of flying time. The reality can be something else entirely.

To wit, here’s the chronology of my journey from Toronto to New York, and how I spent the off day:

Monday 8 a.m., I get an text that says that my 12:30 p.m. flight out of Toronto on WestJet (a Canadian partner airline of Delta) has been cancelled. No reason given. Rebooked on 5:30 p.m. flight, I’m informed

News of McKirahan PED suspension comes down. So the flight delay actually gives me time to write that story and the Jonny Gomes off-day feature story before I go to airport.

Take cab to airport, arrive at 2:30 p.m., WestJet attendant is able to move me to 4:10 p.m. flight instead of 5:30 p.m.

Flight is delayed 40 minutes, but we get on the plane and go out on the runway. We sit for about 30 minutes, and are told we have to go back to the terminal because La Guardia has ground stoppage due to … fog. Yes, fog. We’re told to take all of our bags off the plane, per some rule regarding international flight and waiting on runway, etc.

An hour later, we reboard the plane. And then we sit for another 30-minute delay on runway before finally taking off.

At about 8 p.m., we approach New York, and start circling the airspace above the city. (This is never, ever a good sign.) Some 40 minutes later, the pilot informs us that they still aren’t letting us land at LaGuardia and so we’re going to — wait for it –Toronto. Yes, from whence we came.

From my understanding of the astonishingly awful situation, this particular airline, WestJet, has no working deal with any airport in the New York area or anywhere close to it, other than LaGuardia. So we are going back to Toronto. And the crew can’t fly anymore that night, because of restrictions about how long they’ve already been flying that day.

They make no arrangements for us to get out on later flights Monday, only the next day. And they offer no food or hotel voucher. Nothing. Because it’s weather related. After telling us that gate agents will be waiting when we get off the plane to let us know what are options are or where they’ve rebooked us, if we can get on flight later this night, when we land there are no agents at the gate. We’re told to go get our bags – after going through Customs again — and that we can then call WestJet or go to their app, or find the WestJet counter at the airport and ask them what flight we’re on.

Instead I call Delta, tell them what has transpired, ask them to please save me and hopefully get me on a Delta or other major jet. There are no seats on any flights tonight on any airline, so she books me on first flight out in morning. Delta, not WestJet.

I then call the Toronto Airport Marriott, make sure they’ve got rooms available, and wait 25 minutes (underdressed) in windy, brisk weather outside the airport for their shuttle to finally come. The newspaper is paying for room in Manhattan and one here tonight, of course, because my reservation in NYC began tonight.

I check into Toronto Airport Marriott at 10:30 p.m., eat, unwind from the coffee, fall asleep about 1:15. After setting both iPhone alarms for 3 a.m. and 3:05 a.m., so I can get to airport and go through Customs yet again for my 6:05 a.m. flight.

I take the 4:05 p.m. hotel shuttle to Toronto Pearson Airport and stand in a line with about 75 other people waiting for Customs to open at 4:30 a.m.. Day 2 in the epic journey from Toronto to NYC is underway, and I’ve begun to feel like Odysseus on long trek home after the fall of Troy, only without the sandals or heroism.

Wheels up – not even an hour late! — at 7 a.m. or so, and we land at JFK Airport in New York at about 8:15 a.m. Bag arrives by 8:35. Cab line is, thankfully, nothing like LaGuardia’s line always is. Having successfully reached American soil. mere rush-hour traffic in NYC seems almost a relaxing proposition compared to previous 19 hours.

10:05 a.m.: Arrive at hotel, check into room that we paid not to stay in last night. Says desk attendant when I check in: “We have you for four nights…well, three more nights, checking out Friday?”

Since checking out of my hotel yesterday – the first Toronto hotel, not the one I spent five hours in — to initially head to the airport, it’s been 20 hours, two Toronto-to-NYC flights (sandwiched around one NYC-to-Toronto flight), 1 hour and 45 minutes of sleep, two hotel nights (one each in Toronto and New York), three Red Bulls & many, many coffees, but I made it. And soon I’m sitting down to crank out this blog before heading to catch the 7 Train to Flushing.

I know, glamorous.

WEDNESDAY’S GAME: BRAVES VS. METS

By Carroll Rogers - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Where: at Citi Field, New York

When: 7:10 p.m.

TV/Radio: SPSO/680, 93.7, 106.7

Probable starting pitchers: Braves LH Eric Stults (0-1, 6.30) vs. RH Dillon Gee (0-1, 7.59)

What’s new: Despite a standout spring training that won him the fourth starter’s job, Stults has had a rough go in his first two outings as a Brave. He’s given up seven earned runs in 10 innings, including three runs in five innings (two homers) the first time he faced the Mets. The Braves have had trouble with Gee in the past, but this newly worked lineup got him for five runs on April 11, including a home run from Freddie Freeman. The Braves will just do well to score first. They were 6-1 entering the series in games when they got on the board first. A.J. Pierzynski has homered in 31 major league ballparks. This is his first chance to play in Citi Field, looking to make it 32. (Nationals Park and Dodger Stadium are the only current parks where he’s had at least one plate appearance and has not homered.)

Fox Sports South

Three Cuts: Braves lose control in the 5th, fall to streaking Mets

Jay Clemons

Here are three detailed takes to ponder from the Braves' 7-1 loss to theMets -- which also served as New York's ninth consecutive victory:

1. THE BRAVES WERE PROBABLY DUE FOR A CLUNKER ON THE ROAD -- ESPECIALLY AGAINST THE RED-HOT METS

There weren't many positives to celebrate with Atlanta's offense:

**0 for 5 with runners in scoring position.

**One hit from the batters in the 6-9 slots (Phil Gosselin).

**Slugger Freddie Freeman (0 for 4) looked out of sync, fanning three times.

**Atlanta (8-5, 2nd in NL East) sent more than five hitters to the plate just once (7th).

**The offense left nine runners on base, a high number considering that only Nick Markakis, Jonny Gomes and Andrelton Simmons reached base multiple times.

The Braves' defense was erratic in spots, as well, with Chris Johnson and Gosselin committing errors.

Gosselin's gaffe came at the worst possible time. With the bases loaded and zero out in the 5th, the Mets modestly broke a scoreless tie when Gosselin couldn't field Jon Niese's potential double-play grounder.

Curtis Granderson (four RBI) and Juan Lagares immediately followed up with RBI singles, quickly transforming a too-close-to-call tie into a daunting four-run deficit for the Braves.

And for the streaking Mets (11-3, 1st place in the NL East), they're doing an excellent job of winning games on nights when co-aces Matt Harvey and Jacob deGrom aren't taking the mound.

2. THE BRAVES MIGHT SOON INVOKE A ROTATIONAL ORDER THAT PRECLUDES TREVOR CAHILL AND ERIC STULTS FROM PITCHING ON BACK-TO-BACK DAYS

The above statement isn't a referendum on Cahill's effort from Monday night.

He mowed through 12 of his first 14 batters, allowing only a pedestrian single to Eric Campbell (second inning) in the first four frames. And during this time, his repertoire of pitches had a lot of movement, temporarily flustering the Mets batters.

(Chris Johnson had a throwing error in the 4th.)

In the fifth inning, however, Cahill's outing began to unravel -- preceding that crucial Gosselin error -- walking the leadoff hitter (Eric Campbell) and then ceding hits to rookie Kevin Plawecki (his first MLB hit) and Wilmer Flores.

And before you knew it, Atlanta was down 4-0 ... and Cahill left the game without retiring a hitter in the decisive 5th.

Which brings us to this:

It's great how the Braves' Big Three of Julio Teheran, Alex Wood and Shelby Miller have cumulative tallies of a 5-0 record and 3.17 ERA. But should this trio be joined at the hip -- rotation-wise -- from this point forward?

Bottom line: Yes, it's very early in the season ... but with Cahill and Stults (Wednesday's starter) only averaging 4.0 innings per start through 13 games, that could potentially put a lot of stress on the Atlanta bullpen, being taxed on consecutive days.

3. IT REMAINS UNKNOWN IF CAMERON MAYBIN'S NATURAL UPPERCUT SWING BENEFITS HIM IN THE LEADOFF SPOT

At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, Maybin cuts an imposing figure for someone in the 1-hole -- perhaps a shade below Jason Heyward, size-wise, from last season.

And let's be honest here: When the 28-year-old Maybin takes a cut on non-Strike-2 counts, he certainly doesn't get cheated.

At three homers for the season (including Monday off Niese), Maybin seems like a lock to crack the double-digit mark by season's end -- something he had never accomplished from 2007-14.

Now for the bad news: Even with the solo homer at cavernous Citi Field, Maybin still has subpar tallies with batting average (.147) and on-base percentage (.216) -- numbers that run similar to Melvin Upton Jr. (formerly B.J.) from the previous two seasons.

It was a common refrain during spring training and the first week of the regular season: The Braves, as currently constructed, aren't going to bludgeon the opposition with homers over the course of six months.

Thus, the offensive keys to sustainable success involve being aggressive on the base paths and flooding the top of the lineup with prominent OBP performers -- leading up to Freeman.

In fact, it's a shame the Braves couldn't clone Markakis, who reached base three times on Monday and now boasts a Mike Trout-and-beyond OBP of .481 for the year.

New York Times

Freddie Freeman Is Another Mets Tormentor, on a Far Different Braves Team

By Tim Rohan

Even late in his career, whenever Chipper Jones came to bat and Mets fans chanted “Lar-ry! Lar-ry!” — his given name — he got a look in his eyes. The newspapers still called him a Met Killer, a name he had earned from years of clutch hits at Shea Stadium. Jones even named his son Shea, then denied that he had done so just to rile the Mets.

Freddie Freeman, the Braves’ young first baseman, watched Jones closely while they were teammates in Jones’s final two seasons. Freeman picked up on some of Jones’s habits and techniques. He was not as brash as Jones; he was not as personable; he was not as fun to heckle. But Freeman possessed the same skill and courage at the plate.

Now Mets fans are calling him the next Jones, the next Met Killer.

From 2011 to 2014, just starting his career, Freeman played 71 games against the Mets and had 84 hits, 13 home runs and 59 R.B.I. No one else drove in more runs against the Mets in that span, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“We haven’t got him out in four years,” Mets Manager Terry Collins said.

The duel between Freeman and the Mets continued Tuesday, when the Braves visited Citi Field for the first time this season. But this iteration has a twist. The Mets are the team on the rise now, armed with young, talented pitching. And the Braves appear to be in the early stages of a large-scale rebuilding.

Besides Freeman, few of the Braves’ hitters inspire fear. The Mets were expected to try to limit Freeman, contain him, even though they are missing their top left-handed reliever, Jerry Blevins. But the best strategy might simply be to pitch around him.

In the off-season, the Braves traded most of their marquee players, apparently for financial reasons. They shipped Jason Heyward to St. Louis, Evan Gattis to Houston and Justin Upton to San Diego. Then, on the eve of the season opener, they sent Melvin Upton Jr. and Craig Kimbrel to San Diego.

John Coppolella, the assistant general manager, called it “a one-year remodel.” Still, Freeman was nervous. About a year earlier, he had agreed to a contract extension through the 2021 season, worth $135 million. The only other young position player around him now was Andrelton Simmons, a Gold Glove-winning shortstop.

Around January, amid the flurry of moves, the Braves took Freeman to lunch to soothe his concerns. The restaurant, Saltyard, opened at that hour just to serve them; the meeting had a serious tone. There were four of them there: Freeman, one of his representatives, Coppolella and Fredi Gonzalez, the Braves’ manager.

Freeman quizzed Coppolella and Gonzalez on the moves. Freeman wanted to know: Whom did they get back? Were these good players? What was their plan, exactly?

“He asked good questions,” Gonzalez said.

Coppolella tried explaining that the front office was returning to the franchise’s old formula, when the Braves were winning 14 consecutive division titles, in Jones’s heyday, when most of their best players were homegrown. Coppolella insisted that they were trying to win now, too. Freeman seemed convinced.

“Freddie’s a very bright guy,” Coppolella said. “He had seen that we didn’t have a lot of good, young players coming up the way they had when he was in our system. This way, we won’t be a fourth- or fifth-place team for the seven years he’s here.”

The day after the Braves’ home opener, Freeman discussed the team’s moves in an interview and seemed to be at peace with them. But in the corner of his locker, he had lined up two rows of bobblehead dolls, maybe as a reminder of better times: miniature versions of Jones, Kimbrel and Heyward.

The trade that hurt Freeman the most was the one that sent Heyward away. They were drafted the same year, 2007, and had risen through the organization together. They roomed together on the road and posed together for the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Freeman had a feeling Heyward might be dealt; he wanted to tell the front office not to do it. But he felt shy or out of place, and thought better of it.

“You got to put the personal stuff away and see the business side of it,” he said. “Justin and Jason only had one year left on their contracts. Ultimately, they’re going to make a lot of money. We probably wouldn’t have been able to afford them. So we had to get what we could for them.”

He ticked off names of prospects the Braves had received.

“You’re going to be friends with people longer than you’re going to be teammates in this game,” he said. “That’s something I sort of had to find out this off-season.”

Freeman let out a nervous laugh and glanced around the clubhouse. Jones was rarely in a position like this, expected to carry an offense.

But at 25, Freeman is already regarded as one of the best pure hitters in the National League. Still, his swing is a bit unorthodox. Freeman shifts his shoulders, lowers his hands and uppercuts the ball violently. It looks as if he is swinging a tennis racket for a forehand. Or an oar, as Ron Darling, an SNY analyst and former Mets pitcher, put it.

But his coordination and hand speed are so strong that he can hit almost anything. Mets pitchers lamented the fact that he does not have an obvious weak spot in the strike zone. If their pitches are not thought-out and precise, Freeman can reach them.

Then, if the Mets happen to fool Freeman, he usually adjusts before his next at-bat. The Mets grouse about how they cannot get him out the same way twice. In that way, Freeman reminded Darling of Paul Molitor. Pitching to him can be frustrating and exhausting, like trying to solve a Rubik’s cube that keeps changing its colors.

“He’s a natural,” Darling said. “It doesn’t matter how good you are, or how you try to pitch a guy; some guys are just so talented that the scouting reports are unnecessary. They’re circumstance. Those guys are right ahead of your curve. Whatever it is, they’re ahead of it.”

The Mets hinted that they had a general plan for pitching to Freeman, but they refused to discuss it. Then Freeman homered during their first series this year.

Freeman laughed at the idea that he was the next Met Killer. He did not try provoking the Mets or their fans. He noted that there would be times when they bested him, too. Naming a son after Citi Field would not have the same ring to it, anyway.

The Sports Xchange

Braves lose series opener 7-1 to Mets

By The Sports Xchange

NEW YORK — Left-hander Jon Niese took a shutout into the seventh inning, and right fielder Curtis Granderson drove in four runs as the New York Mets ran their winning streak to nine games with a 7-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday.

Niese (2-0) allowed one run and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out five, worked around four walks and threw 67 of 106 pitches for strikes.

He lost his shutout bid when center fielder Cameron Maybin homered, and Niese exited to a standing ovation after walking right fielder Nick Markakis. Before departing, Niese held Atlanta to one hit in nine at-bats with men on base.

Granderson took a .146 average into the game but raised it 50 points after getting run-scoring singles in consecutive at-bats and an RBI double in his final at-bat. He highlighted a four-run fifth off Atlanta starter Trevor Cahill (0-2) with a two-run single, added a run-scoring hit in the sixth and a bloop ground-rule double in the eighth that scored New York’s sixth run.

Center fielder Juan Lagares also had an RBI single and a sacrifice fly. Niese drew a bases loaded walk for the Mets, who are on their longest winning streak since putting together 10 straight victories from July 5-17, 2008.

Cahill allowed four runs (three earned) and five hits in four-plus innings.

New York loaded the bases with nobody out in the fifth on consecutive singles by rookie catcher Kevin Plawecki and shortstop Wilmer Flores. The Mets took a 1-0 lead when second baseman Phil Gosselin dropped a ground ball hit by Niese, and then they went ahead 3-0 when Granderson slapped a single into right field.

New York extended the lead to 4-0 on a single by Lagares that chased Cahill.

The Braves had two on with two outs in the third when right fielder Nick Markakis reached on a fielding error by third baseman Eric Campbell, but Niese retired left fielder Jonny Gomes. Niese also stranded two in the fourth after allowing one-out singles to third baseman Chris Johnson and shortstop Andrelton Simmons.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman came up with two on and two outs in the fifth following a single by Markakis and a walk to Gomes but grounded out softly to end the threat.

NOTES: New York manager Terry Collins said 3B David Wright has started doing exercises and is on schedule with his recovery from a hamstring injury sustained a week ago.

RF Nick Markakis batted second for Atlanta, becoming the fourth different player in that spot in the lineup since the season began.

On Monday, the Mets announced that RHP Vic Black had an MRI and was diagnosed with a small disk herniation in the right side of his neck that caused triceps muscle weakness. The team said the injury improved since his previous exam and he will be re-evaluated next week.

Associated Press

Mets win 9th in row, newcomer Plawecki and Niese beat Braves

By BEN WALKER (AP Baseball Writer)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Catcher Kevin Plawecki trotted onto the field, shook hands with umpire crew chief Jerry Meals and promptly bounced a practice throw down to second base.

''A little bit nervous,'' Plawecki said.

Maybe, but it never showed in his big league debut. Plawecki contributed with his bat and glove as the banged-up New York Mets won their ninth straight game, beating the Atlanta Braves 7-1 on Tuesday night.

A highly regarded prospect, Plawecki got two hits, scored twice and threw out a runner trying to advance on a ball in the dirt.

''Just happy to have the first one out of the way,'' he said. ''Just happy it came out the way it did.''

The Mets extended their longest winning streak since a 10-game run in 2008. The team record is 11, last done in 1990.

Curtis Granderson drove in his first four runs of the season and Jonathon Niese (2-0) pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning, helping the Mets stretch the best home start in club history to 8-0 at Citi Field.

''We've got good players. We've got good players coming,'' manager Terry Collins said.

Plawecki was promoted from Triple-A earlier in the day to replace catcher Travis d'Arnaud, out for at least three weeks after breaking a finger when he was hit by a pitch Sunday. The Mets lost reliever Jerry Blevins to a broken forearm in the same game, and are still minus injured third baseman David Wright.

D'Arnaud took Plawecki out for dinner during Monday's day off, telling the 24-year-old minor leaguer that he was ready for the majors. D'Arnaud often talked to Plawecki during the game, offering encouragement.

Plawecki, drafted by the Mets in 2012 from Purdue with a compensation pick they got for losing Jose Reyes to free agency, did more than fine in front of a rooting section that included his parents, his fiance, college and high school teammates and former coaches.

Mom Lynne and dad Jeff made the trip from Westfield, Indiana, in the morning. Watching her son, she said, it was easy to flash back in her mind ''to him as a 4-year-old boy, hitting balls in the driveway.''

The souvenir ball from Plawecki's first hit was in his locker, and headed to his parents.

''From the time he could walk, all he wanted to do was hit balls,'' his dad said.

Plawecki lined out in his first at-bat, and later admitted he was just hoping to make contact. He grounded a single to left field for his first hit and fueled the big fifth, scoring on Granderson's two-run single.

In the sixth, Plawecki pounced on a pitch that bounced away and threw out Andrelton Simmons at second. Plawecki singled again in the eighth and scored on a double by Granderson, his first extra-base hit this year.

''Good for him. Got a couple hits and made a nice play on a ball in the dirt and threw out Simmons at second,'' Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said. ''We've heard a lot of good stuff about him with the bat and he proved that he could swing it a little bit.''

The Braves, meanwhile, hurt themselves. They had made only one error in their first 12 games before committing two - second baseman Phil Gosselin fumbled a potential double-play grounder by Niese, keying a four-run burst in the fifth inning.

Niese blanked the Braves until his 100th pitch, which Cameron Maybin hit for a two-out home run in the seventh. Umpires originally held Maybin at second base, then let him trot home after a replay review.

Mets reliever Alex Torres ended the seventh with a 5-1 lead by striking out Freddie Freeman with two runners on, the third time the Atlanta cleanup man fanned.

Niese gave up four hits, struck out five and walked four.

Trevor Cahill (0-2) was chased in the fifth. He has lost six straight decisions dating to last season with Arizona.

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TRAINER'S ROOM

Mets: Wright (pulled hamstring) is ''advancing'' in his recovery and is expected to begin baseball activities soon, Collins said. ... Closer Bobby Parnell (Tommy John surgery) gave up two hits and walked two while getting only two outs for Class A St. Lucie.

BAGGAGE

The game was delayed for a few minutes in the middle of the seventh inning because second base seemed to shake loose from its mooring. A groundskeeper helped get the bag anchored down.

UP NEXT

Braves: Eric Stults is 0-1 with a 6.30 ERA in two starts. Signed as a free agent before spring training, the 35-year-old lefty was 8-17 for San Diego last season.

Mets: RHP Dillon Gee (0-1) has made 48 straight starts of at least five innings dating to May 2013, the longest active streak in the majors. The team record is 50 by Dwight Gooden.

Braves-Mets Preview

By JORDAN GARRETSON (STATS Writer)

Though the New York Mets have already been bit by the injury bug, it hasn't slowed them down yet.

Kevin Plawecki looks to build off an impressive debut and help them extend their nine-game winning streak Wednesday night against the visiting Atlanta Braves.

Already without David Wright and a number of relievers, New York's latest injury was a broken pinky for catcher Travis d'Arnaud, prompting the Mets to call up Plawecki - one of their top prospects - from Triple-A.

Though d'Arnaud was hitting .317 with a team-best 10 RBIs, the club didn't miss a beat with Plawecki starting behind the plate in Tuesday's series opener. He was 2 for 4, scored two runs and threw out a runner to push the Mets (11-3) to their longest winning streak since taking 10 in a row in July 2008, and two shy of the team record 11 last accomplished in 1990.

The start is their best since going 13-3 in 1986.

"Just happy to have the first one out of the way," Plawecki said. "Just happy it came out the way it did."

Curtis Granderson came in hitting .146 with no RBIs, but was 3 for 5 and drove in four runs, while Juan Lagares had two RBIs, stretching his hitting streak to eight games.

The Mets will likely need a better effort from Dillon Gee (0-1, 7.59 ERA) to continue streaking, though Atlanta is countering with a struggling starter of its own. Gee's poor second half of 2014 has seemingly carried over, as he's 3-8 with a 5.40 ERA in 15 starts since last year's All-Star break after going 4-1 with a 2.56 mark in his first nine outings last season.

Gee was 3-0 with a 1.30 ERA during a four-start stretch against the Braves before yielding five runs and eight hits in five innings of a 5-3 road loss on April 11. Freddie Freeman homered against him, and he gave up two more home runs over 5 2-3 innings in New York's 7-5 win over Miami on Thursday, not recording a decision.

He was hurt by the long ball early in 2014 as well, giving up five homers while going winless in his first three starts.

Despite his poor performance to begin the season, Gee's 48 straight starts of at least five innings is the majors' longest active streak and two shy of Dwight Gooden's club record.

Eric Stults (0-1, 6.30) has also been taken deep three times in his first two starts, accounting for five of the seven runs against him in 10 innings. The 25 homers he gave up in 2014 tied for the fifth most in baseball.

The left-hander is 3-1 with a 2.87 ERA in seven matchups with the Mets. He allowed three runs and seven hits in five innings in Atlanta's 5-3 victory April 10.

New York's John Mayberry has only started two games this season but could be a good choice Wednesday as he's 5 for 11 off Stults with three doubles and homered in the last meeting.

Atlanta (8-5) is hoping Stults can stop the bleeding in its rotation. Braves starters have posted a 6.52 ERA while the club has dropped four of six. They logged a 2.56 mark during the 6-1 start.

Left-hander Ian Thomas recalled by Braves from Triple-A

ATLANTA (AP) -- Left-hander Ian Thomas has been recalled by the Atlanta from Triple-A Gwinnett.

Atlanta made the move Tuesday, one day after left-hander Andrew McKirahan was suspended for 80 games following a positive test for the banned substance Ipamorelin, which releases growth hormone.

The 28-year-old did not allow a run in two relief appearances with Gwinnett this season. He was 1-2 with a 4.22 ERA in 16 relief appearances with Atlanta last season.

Atlanta also agreed to a minor league contract with left-hander Greg Smith, who was assigned to Gwinnett. The 31-year-old last appeared in the major leagues in 2010 with Colorado and was at the Braves' minor league camp in spring training.