IGT 07/01 - Mets at Braves

[Guest d'Kong76]

NY Mets at Atlanta
When: 7:10 PM ET, Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Where: Turner Field, Atlanta, Georgia
SportsDirect Inc.

Mike Minor positioned himself the past two years as a key component of the Atlanta Braves� rotation, but the left-hander finds himself stuck on two victories as July begins. Minor aims for his first victory since May 19 when the Braves host the New York Mets in the second contest of a three-game series Tuesday. New York will be without third baseman David Wright (left shoulder bruise) until Friday, but manager Terry Collins told reporters the Mets will play short-handed instead of disabling Wright.

Part of the reasoning behind Collins� decision is keeping intact a bullpen that has pitched well of late, but melted down thanks to three errors in a four-run eighth Monday as Atlanta won the opener 5-3. Curtis Granderson came into the series hitless in 17 at-bats, but homered and finished with two hits. Not all the news Monday was good for Atlanta: the Braves are expected to place catcher Evan Gattis on the disabled list Tuesday with a bulging thoracic disc in his back, sidelining one of Atlanta�s top offensive players (.290, 16 homers).

TV:
7:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP:
Mets RH Daisuke Matsuzaka (3-2, 3.23 ERA) vs. Braves LH Mike Minor (2-5, 4.50)

Matsuzaka struggled in his last start Thursday at Pittsburgh, giving up five runs on five hits with four walks in six innings to take his second consecutive loss. He has served a variety of roles for the Mets, making six starts (2-2, 4.08 ERA) and pitching in relief 17 times (one victory, 2.22 ERA, one save). Matsuzaka is holding opponents to a .180 average.

Minor is 0-2 with a 4.89 ERA in seven starts since his last victory, but has given up more than three earned runs just twice. One of those times came in his last start Thursday at Houston, Minor allowing five runs on seven hits in six innings. Minor is 4-2 with a 4.88 ERA in nine career starts against the Mets, going 1-1 in three starts last season.

WALK-OFFS:
1. Atlanta CF B.J. Upton has a seven-game hitting streak and hits in 13 of his past 16 games.
2. New York 2B Daniel Murphy collected two hits Monday to raise his NL-leading total to 103, and is hitting .337 against left-handers.
3. Atlanta C Christian Bethancourt has recorded a hit in his first two games since being promoted Saturday from Triple-A Gwinnett, and figures to get playing time in Gattis� absence.

[Ceetar]

The Mets are undefeated in July so far.

[G-Fafif]

Curtis Granderson � RF
Ruben Tejada � SS
Daniel Murphy � 2B
Eric Campbell � 3B
Lucas Duda � 1B
Chris Young � LF
Travis d�Arnaud � C
Juan Lagares � CF
Daisuke Matsuzaka � RHP

[Guest d'Kong76]

.
[bigpurple:2jlixvwl]Gra-boom![/bigpurple:2jlixvwl]

[Zvon]

Fk'n FrdyFrmn

[Zvon]

I need an auto response for this guy.

Fk'n FrdyFrmn

[Frayed Knot]

2-out RBI hits in 3 consecutive innings - including one to the pitcher.
I'm not sure the Mets have three 2-out RBI hits this season.

[Frayed Knot]

If Dice doesn't get Simmons here this game is essentially over.

[Frayed Knot]

Say goodnight Gracie!

[Zvon]

Frayed Knot wrote: Say goodnight Gracie!

I'll have to agree. I feel no come back in these guys tonight.


ygolohcysp esrever

[Zvon]

MuffBOOM!

5-4 stinkin' Braves.

[Frayed Knot]

Two shots to get a runner in from 3rd (and tie the game) = Two failures

[Frayed Knot]

Hey Matsuzaka, your team actually gets you some catch-up runs after you were nice enough to give up two-hits to the pitcher and about three other guys last inning, so why not try walking the leadoff guy next inning just for kicks?

[Edgy MD]

Chris Young, we need you more than that.

Braves organist jamming the Violent Femmes.

[Frayed Knot]

And at the risk of sounding like a broken record, we are now more than 2 hours into a game which is just part half over.

[Ceetar]

Matthew Kaminski @bravesorganist #Braves vs #Mets - Hakuna Matata for Tejada

Matthew Kaminski @bravesorganist #Braves vs #Mets - Grand old Flag for Granderson

Matthew Kaminski @bravesorganist #Braves vs #Mets - Guantanamera for Juan

Matthew Kaminski @bravesorganist #Braves vs #Mets - Forever and Ever Amen for Travis

Wheels on the bus for Wheeler last night.

[Zvon]

Keith on Murph's fake: "He looks like a bad magician!"

lol.

[Frayed Knot]

So now we know what goes on during those infield mound conferences; it's d'Arnaud saying; 'Hey Murphy, you go long'

[Guest d'Kong76]

Anyone got the time of the sixth inning?

[Frayed Knot]

At least one good thing out of Dice-K's performance tonight ... it answers the question about who gets bumped when Gee is ready to go.

[Edgy MD]

I think there was only one answer to that question going in. Matsuzaka would have had to throw a two-hitter or better for a chance of escaping that fate.

[Edgy MD]

Some hard-hitties in the seventh, but nuttin'.

[Zvon]

Well, that made the game worth watching. I did not think Laggy would get to that. Amazin'.

[Frayed Knot]

I don't think any of the other 9 CFs we've tried out there this year get to that one.

[Edgy MD]

�El Chico "Diga-Eh"!

I'm spoiled, because I really did think he'd get to it.

I didn't think Upton would get to the shot the half inning prior.

[Edgy MD]

Damn, you don't want to keep playing catchup against this pen.

[Edgy MD]

Walden looks like he slips off the rubber on every pitch.

[Edgy MD]

Hey! A beisronner!

[Zvon]

Nice footwork there Doodoo. Okay,okay, it was a shitty throw.

[Edgy MD]

Developing some serious antipathy for Kimbrel and his hawk pose.