IGT 04/23 - Metropolitans at Braves - Matz Ball

[Guest d'Kong76]

NY Mets at Atlanta
When: 7:10 PM ET, Saturday, April 23, 2016
Where: Turner Field, Atlanta, Georgia
SportsDirect Inc.

The Kabooming!-happy New York Mets play the middle contest of a three-game set at the Atlanta Braves on Saturday looking to continue launching opposing pitches into the outfield seats. Right fielder Curtis Granderson blasted two homers � including a grand slam � in Friday�s series-opening 6-3 victory, giving New York 21 homers through the first seven contests of its current nine-game road trip.

The Mets have hit multiple homers in each of their past four games, 14 during that stretch, and Granderson finished 3-for-5 with five RBIs and two runs scored Friday as the Mets improved to 5-2 on the road swing. Atlanta has lost three in a row following a four-game winning streak, and the Braves offense is struggling to score. The Braves have totaled just seven runs in their past three games after recording 26 during their winning streak, and a taxed bullpen was forced to cover five innings Friday. Daniel Castro did extend his hitting streak to four games, and Adonis Garcia and A.J. Pierzynski each finished with three hits.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, WPIX (New York), FSN South (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Steven Matz (1-1, 7.27 ERA) vs. Braves Jhoulys Chacin (0-0, 2.38)

Matz shook off a dreadful season debut in his last outing Sunday at Cleveland, firing seven shutout innings and striking out nine while allowing just three hits. The 24-year-old lasted just 1 2/3 innings in his first start on April 11 against Miami, surrendering seven earned runs. Matz, who made his major-league debut June 28 last season and went 4-0 with a 2.27 ERA in six starts, held the Braves to one run on six hits in five innings in a victory Sept. 11 in Atlanta.

Chacin has been great thus far for the Braves, striking out 14 with no walks and only nine hits allowed in 11 1/3 innings across two starts. He gave up three runs on four hits with six strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings Sunday against Miami, after firing six shutout frames with eight strikeouts in his Braves� debut April 12 at Washington. The 28-year-old Chacin is 1-2 in five career appearances (four starts) against the Mets with a 2.88 ERA, but has not faced New York since 2014.

WALK-OFFS:
1. Pierzynski�s big night brought him within one hit of reaching 2,000, and raised his season average from .200 to .256.
2. New York CF Yoenis Cespedes doubled Friday, extending his streak of games with at least one extra-base hit to a career-high seven.
3. Atlanta has hit just three homers all season (two on Opening Day), and has not hit one in its past 11 games.

Edited April 23, 2016 by Guest

[G-Fafif]

Saturday is Matzurday, to be sure, but today's date, for IGT title purposes (and all others, I suppose), is 04/23.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Fixed, thanks!

[G-Fafif]

d'Kong76 wrote: Fixed, thanks!

/thumbsupbackatcha

[Guest themetfairy]

I would go with Matza Ball today, since it's Passover.

[Guest d'Kong76]

That was the intended spirit!

[ashie62]

Looking for a solid 7 innings from Matz tonight.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Granderson, RF
Wright, 3B
Conforto, LF
Duda, 1B
Walker, 2B
Cabrera, SS
d'Arnaud, C
Lagares, CF
Matz, P

Markakis, RF
Castro, 2B
Freeman, 1B
Garcia, 3B
Flowers, C
Francoeur, LF
Aybar, SS
Stubbs, CF
Chacin, P

[Zvon]

1st inning.
First batter Granderson singles!
Confortos first MLB stolen base!
Walkers FIRST walk!
Grounder to first GOES THRU FknFrdyFrmn! Yay!
Mets score first 2-0.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Where is everybody?

2-run double by Wright puts the Mets up 4-1. Now the middle of the fourth.

[Lefty Specialist]

David Wright: Not dead yet.

[Edgy MD]

G-FaFiF being stroked on the air by Gary Cohen NOW!!!!

[Frayed Knot]

Lefty Specialist wrote: David Wright: Not dead yet.

That'll teach them to semi-pitch-around Grandy.

[HahnSolo]

Gary with a shout out to Greg and Amazin Again.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Edgy MD wrote: G-FaFiF being stroked on the air by Gary Cohen NOW!!!!

Yes, that was very nice to hear.

[Guest themetfairy]

HahnSolo wrote: Gary with a shout out to Greg and Amazin Again.

That was awesome!

Matz shows some cajones in getting the big strikeout to get out of trouble in the 5th.

[Edgy MD]

Adonis Garcia looking like a high schooler against Steven Matz.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I was like, "Hey! I know that guy! (Sort of.)

[Guest d'Kong76]

Matz flashin' batz!

[Zvon]

Zvon wrote: Walkers FIRST walk!

Nice DP.
4 pitch inning for Mr. Matz.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Remember when Tyler Flowers used to perform with a puppet named "Madame"?

[Zvon]

Finally, David pulls a double. Niiiice. That's what I want to see.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Time to stretch!
[youtube:2yx92tle]jpKKfeQT7H8[/youtube:2yx92tle]

[Guest d'Kong76]

Robles!

[Zvon]

Hey! Don't be brushing back my captain. I think Teufel would have liked to send him but de Aza was pussyfooting around 3rd.

Anyone see that play earlier?: great diving play on a grounder to Wright, he throws to Duda in time, but Duda didn't bother to stretch or have his foot on that bag. Things like that just baffle me.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Trying hard not to go all Sterlz as Grandy doubles...

[ashie62]

Good times.

[Edgy MD]

Thanks for chasing, Frenchy.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Walker Kabooming again!

[Guest themetfairy]

I'm enjoying this game!