Braves want to split a crucial series with rival Mets after losing.
Saturday afternoon, one of the big leagues’ least experienced starting pitchers gave the ailing Atlanta Braves a huge lift.
The New York Mets were also reminded by Atlanta’s rookie right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach of how quickly poor their starting pitching depth has become.
When the Braves visit the Mets for their last regular season game on Sunday afternoon, they will try to salvage a split of a crucial four-game series.
The Braves will start All-Star right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (7-4, 2.12 ERA) against left-hander David Peterson (5-0, 3.14) of the Mets.
On Saturday, Schwellenbach recorded the finest start of his short career, giving up only two hits, walking none, and striking out eleven in seven shutout innings to help the Braves win 4-0.
In only his tenth career start overall and just his twelveth above the Class-A level, Schwellenbach wrote the masterpiece.
The Braves, who had been outscored 39-18 in their previous six games going into Saturday, were in a precarious position heading into the big performance. The Atlanta team’s losing streak was the longest since it lasted six games in September 2017, during Schwellenbach’s final year of high school in Michigan.
Schwellenbach remarked, “We had lost six straight.” “Today, I kind of went a little farther. That was necessary.
With the victory, the Braves moved up to a tie for the first wild card place in the National League, ahead of the Mets. With an 8-4 victory on Friday, New York, which trailed Atlanta by 10 games on May 29, quickly caught up to the team.
The Mets hold the best major league record since May 30 at 33-16, despite their defeat on Saturday. However, right-hander Kodai Senga, who had a high-grade left calf injury during his season debut on Friday night and is probably going to miss the remainder of the regular season, will have to miss New York’s postseason drive.
Senga, who hurt his shoulder during spring training, was hurt four days after rookie Christian Scott, a right-hander, was put on the disabled list due to a sprained right UCL.
Only Tylor Megill of the current Mets rotation has gone into the seventh inning in nine games since the All-Star break. Megill was lifted after starting the seventh inning on Saturday by giving up a leadoff home run to Eddie Rosario and walking Sean Murphy. Megill had not completed more than 5 1/3 innings in eight starts between the majors and Triple-A Syracuse dating back to June 3.
“This team has five real starters who really put us in this situation,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza declared prior to Saturday’s contest. “Guys will step up, guys will get opportunities and we’ll be fine.”
The Braves lost 4-1 against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday, with Lopez taking the loss after giving up four runs in six innings of work.
In seven career games (three starts), Lopez is 2-2 with a 2.66 ERA versus the Mets. On April 9, the 30-year-old won the win in a 6-5 triumph over New York after pitching six shutout innings.
After giving up two runs in five innings during the Mets’ 6-4 victory over the Miami Marlins on Monday, Peterson was awarded the win. In ten games (nine starts), he is 3-4 with a 5.12 ERA versus the Braves.
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