The Mets came into their weekend series with momentum, but the red hot Braves steamrolled them in their sweep. The Braves outplayed the Mets in every aspect of the game and showed why they have a steady grip on the NL East.
What Went Wrong?
Outside of a Pete Alonso three-run home run, the Mets offense was pitiful. They were 4-for-25 with runners in scoring position and left 22 men on base. During their 14-inning loss on Friday they had a handful of opportunities to win the game but failed to get the job done. The Braves took advantage of a depleted Mets bullpen to get away with a 2-1 win on Friday.
The @Braves win it and outlast the Mets in 14 innings.
Atlanta looks to win the series tomorrow night. We will recap this thriller on #Braves Live next. pic.twitter.com/4k67Brd2cR
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) August 24, 2019
The Mets suffered a small hangover on Saturday as the Braves jumped out early against Zack Wheeler. They seemed dead until the fifth inning when Alonso’s 41st home run continued, what fans thought was, the magic they had at Citi Field. Unfortunately, the Wheeler blew the lead in the top of the sixth and the Mets bullpen helped the Braves put the game out of reach.
Bullpen Dominance
The Braves bullpen only allowed one run over 13 innings in the series and found their way out of multiple jams in key spots. They received helped Mike Foltynewicz and Dallas Keuchel as they delivered seven strong innings in their starts Friday and Sunday. The Braves quieted the red hot bat of J.D. Davis and only held him to two singles in the series.
Mark Melancon wins the battle, and the Atlanta #Braves sweep the #Mets, winning 2-1. Atlanta has now won eight in a row, their second eight-game winning streak of the season.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 25, 2019
The Mets bullpen was anything but dominant. They allowed six runs over the three games and even lost Edwin Diaz to a trap injury. As usual, Seth Lugo provided the only positive out of the Mets bullpen. During Friday’s game, they held up well for five innings until Jeurys Familia entered for the third day in a row. He struggled and ended up allowing the winning run in the top of the 14th. The 14-inning game took its toll on the bullpen and it showed during their 9-5 loss Saturday, where they allowed four runs in three innings.
Not Much Changed
Despite the three game sweep, the Mets are still two games behind the Cubs heading into their big three game series Tuesday. The Nationals and Braves put more space between the Mets, but thankfully the Nats swept the Cubs. The Cubs have one of the worst road records in baseball and the Mets have been dominant at Citi Field against anyone other than the Braves. Marcus Stroman, Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom are lined up to pitch and give the Mets the best chance to sweep a huge series.