Braves rout Mets 11-0 to finish 3-game sweep
Julio Teheran carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning Thursday afternoon as the Atlanta Braves pounded four home runs and completed a three-game sweep of the host New York Mets with a 11-0 victory at Citi Field.
The Braves outscored the Mets 21-2 in the sweep and have won five straight to move into first place in the NL East, 1 1/2 games ahead of New York.
The Mets have lost 11 of 17 since an 11-1 start. New York did get some good news Thursday morning, when Jacob deGrom's MRI came back clean a day after the ace right-handed pitcher sustained a hyperextended right elbow. DeGrom is expected to make his next start as scheduled Monday night.
Teheran (2-1) allowed two hits and two walks while striking out six over seven innings. He had two hits and a sacrifice fly at the plate.
Teheran, who tossed a one-hit shutout against the Mets at Citi Field on June 19, 2016, looked as if he would better that effort and throw the Braves' first no-hitter in nearly a quarter-century when he retired 20 of the first 21 batters he faced over the first 6 2/3 innings. However, Asdrubal Cabrera ended the no-hit bid by lacing a two-out double down the right field line.
Kent Mercker threw the most recent no-hitter for the Braves on April 5, 1994 -- a span of 3,945 games, counting the playoffs.
Teheran's pursuit of history was the only bit of suspense left after the Braves piled on against Jason Vargas (0-2) and Matt Harvey. Nick Markakis (RBI double) and Kurt Suzuki (two-run homer) gave Atlanta a 3-0 lead in the first inning.
Ronald Acuna Jr. led off the fifth with a homer, and Markakis followed two batters later with a two-run shot to extend the lead to 6-0. The Braves added five more runs in the seventh against ex-Mets ace Harvey, who gave up an RBI single to Charlie Culberson, the sacrifice fly to Teheran and a three-run homer to Ozzie Albies.
Acuna and Markakis had three hits each.
Vargas gave up six runs on 11 hits and two walks while striking out three over 4 2/3 innings. He has a 16.20 ERA in his first two starts with the Mets.
--Field Level Media
