Braves at Mets
Austin Riley has played just 42 games in his major league career, but he has taken just fine to the bright lights of New York entering the Atlanta Braves series finale Sunday at the Mets. The 22-year-old rookie left fielder has homered in the first two games of the weekend set, including a go-ahead solo blast in the eighth inning of Saturday’s 5-4 victory - one night after his two-run shot led Atlanta to a win in the series opener.
Riley followed Nick Markakis’ game-tying homer in Saturday’s eighth inning with his 14th blast of the season, giving Atlanta a major-league leading and franchise-record tying 55 homers this month as the Braves extended their National League East lead to 6 ½ games over Philadelphia, eight games over Washington and 13 over the Mets. New York continues its June swoon, losing for the 18th time in 27 games and being outscored 55-43 in losing six of nine contests against Atlanta this season. New York right fielder Jeff McNeil finished 2-for-4 with two doubles, a run scored and two RBIs Saturday. The Mets bullpen, stretched in part due to a 1 hour, 33 minute rain delay, gave up three runs on 10 hits over seven innings, and owns an 8.18 ERA with runs allowed in 18 of their past 20 games.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ESPN
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Max Fried (9-3, 3.96 ERA) vs. Mets RH Noah Syndergaard (5-4, 4.55)
After a dynamic start to his season, Fried struggled during a four-start stretch from May 28 through June 14, pitching to a 7.52 ERA with 17 runs allowed on 31 hits in just 20 1/3 innings. But the 25-year-old has steadied himself in his past two outings, victories over the Mets and Chicago Cubs in which he allowed four runs on 10 hits with 14 strikeouts across 12 innings. Fried, who did walk a season-high five hitters but struck out eight while holding Chicago to two runs on two hits in six innings Tuesday, allowed two runs on eight hits with six strikeouts June 19 against New York, and is 1-1 with a 1.77 ERA in seven career meetings.
The Mets plan to activate Syndergaard from the injured list after he missed one start with a right hamstring strain. The 26-year-old gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits with two walks and five strikeouts in his last major-league appearance June 15 against St. Louis, and in a rehab start Tuesday for Single-A Brooklyn surrendered three runs in five innings while throwing 56 of his 67 pitches for strikes. Syndergaard is 0-2 with a 3.49 ERA in seven career starts against Atlanta, pitching six shutout innings in his last appearance against the Braves on Sept. 25.
WALK-OFFS
1. New York SS Amed Rosario went 2-for-4 with two runs scored Saturday, snapping an 0-for-13 skid.
2. Atlanta 2B Ozzie Albies was removed for precautionary reasons in the sixth inning after getting hit with a pitch on the left elbow.
3. Mets LF-1B Dominic Smith went deep Saturday, giving him homers in four of his past six games.