Mets takeaways from 5-3 win over Braves in Game 2 of doubleheader, including Francisco Alvarez’s clutch hit
After falling to the Atlanta Braves 9-8 in the first game of the day, the Mets rallied to win the nightcap 5-3.
Here are some key takeaways...
- Tylor Megill's third pitch of the game hit Ronald Acuna Jr. squarely in his left shoulder. Acuna was looked at by a trainer but was forced to come out of the game, removing a big bat from Atlanta's lineup. The Braves later announced that Acuna has a left shoulder contusion.
The righty had some traffic on base early, but the Mets were able to turn inning-ending double plays in the first and second. He began to settle in over the middle innings, retiring eight straight Braves to get through the fourth. In the fifth, Megill allowed the first two Braves to reach base, but he buckled down and got the next three to keep Atlanta scoreless.
With two on and two outs in the sixth, the Mets stuck with Megill, but he walked Sean Murphy, to load the bases and put the go-ahead run on base. With Drew Smith ready in the bullpen, Eddie Rosario then slammed a double to right-center, scoring all three runners and turning a 2-0 lead into a 3-2 deficit.
Megill's final line read 5.2 IP, three earned runs on four hits, four strikeouts and three walks. He was one out away from going six scoreless innings.
- The Mets got on the board in the second against Charlie Morton. With Jeff McNeil on first, Daniel Vogelbach lined one 106mph off the bat to center field, and the ball found its way to the wall in center, scoring McNeil and giving the Mets their first lead of the series.
- Brett Baty pulled a double to lead off the bottom of the fifth inning. After homering in the first game, Baty continues to prove himself at the plate, racking up seven hits in a 12-at-bat span. Baty came around to score on a Starling Marte RBI single up the middle, putting the Mets up 2-0.
- After Atlanta took the lead in the top of the sixth, the Mets came storming right back in the bottom half. With Vogelbach and Mark Canha aboard via walks, Francisco Alvarez roped a two-out, two-run double down the left-field line to put them back in front 4-3. The youngster is starting to settle in with a hit in each of his last three starts.
- Smith tossed a scoreless seventh inning, followed by David Robertson, who struck out a pair in an easy eighth. After McNeil provided an insurance run with a solo home run, Robertson returned to the mound for the ninth. Ozzie Albies led off the inning with a double, but the right-hander worked his way out of trouble to secure his sixth save of the season and the 5-3 win.
Highlights
What's next
The Mets head to Detroit for a three-game series with the Tigers, starting on Tuesday night at 6:40 p.m. on SNY.
Joey Lucchesi (1-0, 2.19 ERA) will take the mound, while the Tigers will start right-hander Michael Lorenzen (0-1, 7.07 ERA).
