Atlanta Braves Clippings

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Braves.com

Braves can't recover after Norris gets chased early

By Mark Bowman and Connor Smolensky / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | 1:28 AM ET

ATLANTA -- Curtis Granderson highlighted a multihomer game in grand fashion andMatt Harvey notched his first win of the season as the Mets opened a three-game series at Turner Field with Friday night's 6-3 win over the Braves.

"Just trying to go ahead and get pitches that you can put a good swing on, and I was able to do that in a few at-bats there," Granderson said.

Granderson's second-inning grand slam off Bud Norris provided all of the necessary support for Harvey, who allowed two runs and seven hits over five innings. The Mets right-hander surrendered hits to four of the first five batters he faced in Atlanta's two-run second inning. But he minimized damage more effectively than he had while pitching from the stretch in his previous three starts.

While the Mets have won six of their past eight games, the Braves have dropped three straight since snapping their 0-9 start with four consecutive wins.

"I liked our offense," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said after his team tallied its second consecutive double-digit hit total (10). "I think with Bud, it was just that one inning. If you could erase that one inning, he might have pitched six or seven innings."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Have a Grand day: Granderson came into Friday's contest with three RBIs. He doubled that and then some while homering twice off Norris. The veteran hammered two balls into the right-field stands for his 19th multihomer game of his career. Granderson's two homers accounted for all five runs against Norris.

Harvey picks up first victory: Harvey's first win ended a three-game skid to start the season. The right-hander lasted five innings, allowing seven hits and two runs while striking out five. Harvey ran into some trouble in the second inning when he gave up two runs, but faced little trouble the rest of the way. He ended the night throwing 101 pitches, 68 for strikes.

"Part of the game obviously felt better and felt like I was releasing the ball the way I should be," Harvey said. "Other times it was not that way. Still working. There were more positives than negatives out of this game."

Almost Mr. 2,000: A.J. Pierzynski notched a single in each of his first three at-bats against Harvey and is now just one hit shy of becoming the 10th catcher in Major League history to record 2,000 hits in a career. Pierzynski notched one of the four hits Harvey surrendered during the two-run second inning that was highlighted by Mallex Smith's RBI double. The Braves catcher's two-out single in the fifth went for naught as Yoenis Cespedes' strong throw retired Nick Markakis as he attempted to score from second base.

Long second inning: Plate umpire Jeff Kellogg was hit on the left side of his mask and then his shoulder by a foul ball in the bottom of the first and then exited between innings. After waiting through a lengthy delay as first-base umpire Alan Porter donned the protective gear to move behind the plate, Norris endured a 41-pitch second inning that included consecutive one-out walks and the errant throw he made attempting to record a forceout at third base. This set the stage for Granderson to follow with his grand slam.

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Granderson's grand slam had an exit velocity of 108.5 mph according to Statcast™, the hardest home run he's hit since exit velocity has been measured. His previous high was 107.7 mph last May 5 against Baltimore's Ubaldo Jimenez.

The Braves homered twice in this season's first 13 plate appearances. They've hit one home run in the 597 plate appearances that have followed and have gone homerless over their past 448 plate appearances. Their three homers through 16 games matches the franchise-low mark set by the 1937 Boston Braves.

CESPEDES' CANNON NAILS MARKAKIS With the Braves trailing, 5-2, and men on first and second with two outs in the fifth, Pierzynski roped a single up the middle. With Markakis making

the turn toward home, Cespedes fielded the ball and threw a strike home to nab Markakis, a throw that Statcast™ tracked at 93.5 mph. It marked Cespedes' 14th assist since the beginning of last season, good for sixth in the Major Leagues.

"Any time you can limit damage and get help like that it's much appreciated, and they were one hit or one throw away from scoring another run or whatever else could have happened," Harvey said. "That was big for us."

WHAT'S NEXT Mets: Steven Matz will attempt to build on a strong outing against the Indians when this series resumes on Saturday at 7:10 p.m. ET. The left-hander threw seven scoreless innings his last time out, allowing just three hits while striking out nine.

Braves: Atlanta will counter with Jhoulys Chacin, who opened the season with 11 consecutive scoreless innings and then surrendered three straight hits to begin Miami's three-run sixth inning on Sunday. Chacin has benefited from a healthy shoulder and a cutter he developed this past winter.

Braves add lefty Marksberry to 'pen, option Kelly

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | 10:09 AM ET

ATLANTA -- The Braves will have a third left-handed reliever when Matt Marksberry joins Atlanta's bullpen before Saturday night's game against the Mets at Turner Field.

Marksberry has been recalled from Double-A Mississippi, and Casey Kelly has been optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett. Kelly completed three valuable innings of relief in Friday's 6-3 loss to the Mets, and he would not be available to pitch over the next few days.

So, in an effort to strengthen their bullpen, the Braves will take another chance on Marksberry, who allowed three hits and one earned run over the 8 2/3 innings he completed for Mississippi this season. The 25-year-old lefty reliever posted a 5.01 ERA over 31 appearances for Atlanta last year, but he surrendered just one earned run over his final 13 appearances (6 1/3 innings).

The Braves entered this season with Eric O'Flaherty as their only left-handed reliever, and they later added Hunter Cervenka, who also began this season with Mississippi. Left-handed hitters have gone 4-for-12 with two doubles, a homer and one walk against O'Flaherty. They have gone 1-for-8 and drawn two walks against Cervenka.

Promising prospect Lucas Sims also received some encouraging news when he learned he had been promoted from Mississippi to start for Gwinnett on Saturday night. Mike Foltynewicz had been scheduled to make this start.

The Braves have not announced whether Foltynewicz or Aaron Blair will be promoted to the Majors to start Sunday's series finale against the Mets. If Blair gets the call, Foltynewicz would simply start for Gwinnett on Sunday with one extra day of rest.

Braves willing to wait for Adonis' D to match bat

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | 12:54 AM ET

ATLANTA -- Adonis Garcia owns the worst fielding percentage of any Major Leaguer who has compiled at least 120 chances as a third baseman dating back to 1910. But as long as he continues to produce at the plate, the Braves are willing to deal with it, hoping his offensive contributions outweigh his presence as a defensive liability.

After enduring his second multi-error game in less than a week on Thursday, Garcia notched his second three-hit game and sixth multi-hit performance of the young season in Friday night's 6-3 loss to the Mets at Turner Field. The 31-year-old third baseman now stands as Atlanta's only regular position player who is hitting better than .290.

"He's not a third baseman," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He plays hitter."

Garcia has committed six errors through his first 29 chances this season. His .870 career fielding percentage comes courtesy of the 16 errors he has made over the 125 chances he has had since he began playing third base for the Braves on a regular basis after last year's All-Star break.

The Braves have been cognizant of Garcia's defensive shortcomings since they signed him to a Minor League deal after the Yankees released him at the end of Spring Training in 2015. But Garcia totaled 10 home runs in 191 at-bats last year, and along with his current team-best .309 batting average, he owns one of the Major League-low three homers Atlanta has hit this season.

"He might be the most consistent hitter we've had since the beginning of the year," Gonzalez said. "It's my job to get him out of there when we have a lead late in the game to help the defense. But offensively, he's made every case for him to play every day."

Instead of continuing to attempt to hide Garcia in left field like they did during much of last season's final month, the Braves opted to transition Hector Olivera from third base to left field and take a gamble on Garcia at the hot corner. Olivera's future with the Braves is now in doubt as he waits to learn how he will be disciplined after being arrested in connection with an alleged assault of a female acquaintance last week.

But the Braves have not yet opted to have Garcia play left field, a position he has not played (not even in Spring Training) since last year.

Promising third-base prospect Rio Ruiz, who is the team's No. 16-ranked prospect according to MLBPipeline.com, is still a few months away from being deemed Major League-ready. Daniel Castro, Kelly Johnson and Jace Peterson are current options.

But however you cut it, the Braves do not currently have the option of removing Garcia's bat from their lineup, and thus, they will hope that the daily defensive work he completes with Braves first-base coach and two-time Gold Glove Award-winning third baseman Terry Pendleton will lead to suitable improvement.

"We're trying to make him a third baseman," Gonzalez said. "I think he'll hit enough at third base where you'll feel comfortable."

Flowers says Braves not complaining about field

By Mark Bowman / MLB.com | @mlbbowman | April 22nd, 2016

ATLANTA -- Braves player representative Tyler Flowers said he has not received a request from any of his teammates to lodge a complaint to the Major League Baseball Players Association regarding the playing surface at Turner Field.

"I think there are normal complaints, whether they're serious or joking, in batting practice at every stadium in the [United States]," Flowers said. "You've got to blame it on someone, because it's not your fault. It's just how we are. But really beyond that, I really haven't heard much else."

Flowers was asked by reporters to address this matter in regard to an ESPN.com story that said some Braves players were considering asking the players' union to pressure the club into making improvements to the Turner Field playing surface. The report was published on Thursday after the Dodgers had committed four errors (three on Tuesday) during the first two games of this week's series against the Braves.

The only on-the-record comments included in the story were provided by Dodgers players.

"I would have been surprised if it had been our guys complaining, because Ed Mangan for me is one of the premier groundskeepers in the business and he's right there [by the dugout during games]," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "He'll do whatever we ask him to do. I would have been really surprised and disappointed if it had been coming from our clubhouse."

Mangan has served as the Braves' head groundskeeper since 1991 and the field director for each of the past 16 Super Bowls. He has long been considered one of the most highly regarded individuals in his field.

Gonzalez spent some time on Friday talking to Mangan, who acknowledged the stadium's hybrid Bermuda grass needs a couple more weeks of warm temperatures to gain optimal status. Braves right fielder Nick Markakis, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, was foiled by a bad hop during Wednesday night's game.

Still, while there might be some concerns about baseballs occasionally snaking through Turner Field's outfield grass, the complaints heard from the Dodgers seemed to focus on the infield dirt, which was given some extra attention from the Braves' grounds crew on Friday afternoon.

Mangan and his crew have already acquiesced to Braves veteran shortstop Erick Aybar's request for the infield dirt to be watered more heavily before games. Aybar's defense has been better this week than it was during the season's first two weeks, when he seemingly provided a nightly reminder that Andrelton Simmons was no longer Atlanta's shortstop.

Braves third baseman Adonis Garcia entered Friday having committed six errors through his first 27 chances, but half of those errors were committed on the road.

"We've had errors and we've had teams make errors against us," Flowers said. "But I haven't seen anybody kick the dirt or rip up some grass because of it."

Matz aims to stay on a roll facing Chacin, Braves

By Connor Smolensky / Special to MLB.com | April 22nd, 2016

A pair of young starters will square off Saturday night at Turner Field.

New York's Steven Matz (1-1, 7.27 ERA) and Atlanta's Jhoulys Chacin (0-0, 2.38) will be on the mound in the second game of the series. Matz, 24, heads into the start coming off a strong performance against Cleveland in which he allowed just three hits over seven scoreless innings. It was a far cry from Matz's first outing of the season against Miami on April 11, when he gave up six hits and seven runs in 1 2/3 innings.

Chacin, 28, will be searching for his first win of the season. The right-hander has gone at least five innings in each of his first two starts, while giving up no more than five hits in either outing.

Things to know about this game

• Matz has collected 44 career strikeouts, which is tied for the sixth most in franchise history for a starter in his first eight career starts.

• Chacin holds a career 1-2 record against the Mets with a 2.88 ERA. His win against New York came on Aug. 21, 2012, as a member of the Rockies.

• Jacob deGrom is expected to be back with the Mets on Saturday and is scheduled to start Sunday. deGrom has not pitched since April 8 after dealing with a strained right lat muscle, as well as birth complications with his son, who is now home from the hospital.

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Granderson’s slam dooms Norris, Braves drop third in a row

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Braves have led in 11 of their 16 games this season, but Friday night’s series opener against the Mets wasn’t one of them.

Bud Norris blew early leads in his previous two starts, but the Braves starter put the team in such a hole this time, giving up a Curtis Granderson grand slam in the second inning, they were forced to play catch-up the rest of the way in a 6-3 loss at Turner Field.

Granderson had two homers off Norris to drive in five runs as the Mets handed the Braves their third straight loss, dropping their majors-worst record to 4-12.

“Really kind of frustrating,” said Norris, who gave up five hits, five runs (four earned) and two walks in four innings, his ERA climbing to 6.75 ERA in four starts. “I’ve got to get better. I know I can pitch deeper (in games) and do a lot better.”

Norris (1-3) was pulled after throwing 88 pitches in four innings, replaced by pinch-hitter Jace Peterson when the Braves, trailing 5-2, had two runners on with two out in the fifth. Peterson flied out to end the inning.

“If you could erase that one inning, shoot, he may have pitched six, seven innings,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “But you can’t do that, as much as we want to. They put four up, and that kind of set the tone for the rest of the game.”

The Mets have hit 14 homers in their past four games, while the Braves have no homers in their past 11 games and three all season, less than half of the majors’ next-lowest total.

A.J. Pierzynski had three singles, leaving the Braves catcher one hit shy of 2,000 in his 19-year career. He would be just the 10th catcher to reach that standard.

The Braves got two runs on four hits in the second inning against Matt Harvey, but didn’t score again until a single run in the seventh. Harvey (1-3) lasted five innings and gave up seven hits, and the Braves’ 10 hits marked their second consecutive double-digit hits total in a loss.

“We just haven’t been able to put anybody on base and string anything together,” said Gonzalez, whose Braves had nine singles. “Nobody has split a gap with people on base…. Our offense was good, but that (hits) column isn’t the one that counts. The column that counts is that first one, and we need to put some more runs up there than just one or two.”

Norris has lasted 5 1/3 innings or fewer in the past three of his four starts. He’s given up 27 hits, nine walks and five homers in 21 1/3 innings this season.Rookie Casey Kelly pitched three solid innings in his Braves debut to ease the load for the bullpen.

“It’s frustrating,” Norris said. “I want to turn this around as quick as I can, because it’s still April. I know there’s a lot more in the tank.”

After the Mets loaded the bases with one out in the second inning on two walks and a Norris throwing error, Granderson cleared them with line-drive homer on a 2-2 pitch – a belt-high 93 mph fastball over the plate. It was the seventh pitch of the at-bat, after Norris had gotten ahead in the count 0-2.

In 15 starts over two seasons, Norris is 3-10 with a 6.78 ERA and 16 homers allowed in 77 innings. He lost his rotation spot with the Baltimore in late June and spent the rest of the season as a reliever with the Orioles and Padres.

Norris had himself to blame for the trouble in the second inning: He walked Nos. 7-8 hitters Astrubal Cabrera and Travis d’Arnaud, then fielded a Matt Harvey sacrifice attempt and bounced a throw past third base. He needed 59 pitches to get through the first two innings.

After the Braves cut the lead in half with two runs in the bottom of the second, Granderson pushed the margin back to 5-2 with his long, two-out solo homer in the fourth inning. He has eight homers in his past 33 games against the Braves.

It was the 19th career multi-homer game for Granderson and his seventh five-RBI game.

Kelly fills long relief role in Braves debut

By Michael Cunningham - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

After the Mets beat up Braves starter Bud Norris, right-hander Casey Kelly did enough to keep the score manageable and avoid more wear on the bullpen.

It wasn’t enough for a victory because the Braves’ offense couldn’t overcome the 4-0 deficit. But Kelly’s Braves debut was a success because he ably filled the long reliever role while limiting the Mets to one run over three innings on Friday at Turner Field.

“He’s a guy that kind of saved the bullpen for us,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “He kept us right there. That’s some valuable innings.”

The Braves recalled Kelly from Triple-A Gwinnett on Wednesday. He made just his second relief appearance in the big leagues after starting eight of nine games for the Padres split between the 2012 and 2015 seasons.

Kelly is making a comeback after he underwent Tommy John elbow surgery in March 2013. The Braves acquired Kelly and minor-league catcher Ricardo Rodriguez from the Padres in December in exchange for catcher Christian Bethancourt.

“When I got traded over I was super excited about a fresh start,” Kelly said. “To be able to get back up here and get my feet wet a little bit just builds the confidence. I think I will be better off for my next time out”

Marksberry recalled from Double-A, Kelly returns to Triple-A

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Braves recalled left-handed reliever Mark Marksberry from Double-A Mississippi and optioned right-hander Casey Kelly back to Triple-A Gwinnett. Marksberry was driving to Atlanta on Saturday to be in uniform for the night game against the New York Mets.

Marksberry had a 1.04 ERA and 0.577 WHIP in six appearances at Mississippi, allowing just three hits, one run and two walks with seven strikeouts in 8 2/3 innings. He’s a known commodity for the Braves and will give them a third lefty in the bullpen, to go with Hunter Cervenka, who has pitched well, and veteran Eric O’Flaherty, who has not.

Marksberry, 25, had a 5.01 ERA in 31 appearances for the Braves last season, when he was rushed from Single-A to the majors with only a brief stop in Triple-A, after trades and injuries to other pitchers had depleted the big-league bullpen. He has good stuff and showed flashes of his potential then, and again at spring training this year before the Braves sent him to the minors for a bit more seasoning and polish.

Kelly pitched well in a three-inning stint Friday in his Braves debut, allowing three hits and one run and allowing manager Fredi Gonzalez to avoid taxing the bullpen after starter Bud Norris lasted just four innings and gave up five runs in the 6-3 loss.

Since Kelly wouldn’t have been available for several days after that long outing, the Braves are bringing up another fresh arm for a bullpen that’s seen a lot of work.

Braves’ Pierzynski needs one hit for 2,000

By Michael Cunningham - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski is closing in on 2,000 hits for his career as he starts to produce for a lineup that can use consistent hitters.

Pierzynski hit singles in each of his first three at-bats against the Mets on Friday at Turner Field to give him 1,999 for his career. Only nine catchers in Major League Baseball history have collected 2,000 hits, a list that is led by Ivan Rodriguez (2,844). Johnny Bench (2,048) is eighth.

Pierzynski had a chance to get his 2,000th hit in dramatic fashion. He went to bat in the seventh inning with two base runners and the Braves trailing 6-3, but Mets lefty reliever Jerry Blevins came on to strike him out.

Pierzynski was on deck when Adonis Garcia grounded out to end the game.

“He will get it,” Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “Maybe not tomorrow but he will get it. That’s a hell of a career.”

Pierzynski is 6-for-14 in his past four games with two walks to raise his batting average to .256 and his on-base percentage to .326.

Pierzynski, 39, had a resurgent season in 2015 while batting .300, his best average since 2009. He was expected to split time at catcher with Christian Bethancourt but ended up starting 104 games because Bethancourt faltered and Pierzynski was one of the team’s most consistent hitters

Braves: A shift in tactics

By Thomas Stinson - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

You won’t find Noah Woodward’s picture among the hundreds in the Braves’ media directory, nor would you single him out of a crowd unless you have an Opie Taylor fetish. He is 23, bonds with a computer in the basement at Turner Field, rarely gets outside and wouldn’t rather be doing anything else.

Not quite kicking and screaming but not exactly joy-riding either, the Braves have joined the 21st century this spring, adopting an analytic approach to infield positioning and if you haven’t noticed — OK, April has had its complexities — maybe you’re not paying attention.

Last season, the Braves overshifted their infield 470 times, which ranked the second-fewest in the majors, according to statistics compiled by FanGraphs. In their first 14 games this season, through Wednesday, the Braves overloaded their infield deployment 101 times, putting them on pace for 1,169 shifts this season.

Not that that breaks the bank. Seven clubs overshifted their infields at least 1,000 times last season, but the trend is booming. Just five years ago, there were just 2,350 instances of infield shifting across the majors. This year, with Houston at the forefront, there may be 30,000.

Last winter, the Braves determined — correctly — they need any help they can get and signed on. And Woodward, as chief compiler of all data on all baseballs pitched and struck, has become an unlikely point man.

“I’ve been wanting to do this since I was 10 years old,” he said.

Woodward was a callow intern with the Orioles in November when Braves general manager John Coppolella, reviewing data from the 2015 season, focused on the club’s reluctance to shift its infield (primarily stationing an extra fielder on the right side).

“By a lot of estimates run by our analytics group, it cost us close to 50 runs,” Coppolella said. “If you say every 10 runs is a win, that’s five wins. And we’re trying to find ways to get more and more wins. It was a way for us to improve. … It’d be foolish on our part not to try to explore that opportunity.”

While the rise of a corps of dominant young pitchers has been a primary contributor, research also indicates recent slumping offensive numbers across the majors have been affected by analytic-directed defensive positioning. Last season, the average major league team hit .254, the sixth consecutive season below .260 and the longest such streak since 1974. Which is how the shift has become the next big thing.

So 36 years after John Schuerholz hit town mandating that Braves defense starts up the middle, the team will occasionally skew the middle over to the second-base hole. While they might be better served aligning a defense that keeps their bullpen gate shut, this is the Braves’ biggest strategic revision during this season of change.

“We’re not going to be the favorites going into a lot of games. We know that,” said Billy Ryan, director of baseball operations. “Whether we’re projected to win 60 games or 100 games, you want every competitive advantage you can find. We’ve had the conversation with our staff many times that this is not a paint-by-number kind of deal. We’re going to give you the odds.”

This has not been universally embraced in the clubhouse.

“Actually,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said, “I feel like the shift gives up more hits than it saves.”

While scant early numbers are inconclusive — Woodward said opponents’ average against the shift is down — the organization’s commitment to the tactic was made clear during a locker-room meeting early in spring camp.

“It’s become second-nature now,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said. “I don’t know where we rank (17th-most frequent shifts in the majors), but that’s something we want to bring in. I’m glad it’s supposed to help us win games.”

Supposed. All the research down to Abner Doubleday’s hat size will not make a shift work if the pitcher du jour doesn’t locate the next pitch exactly where it has to be. A fastball up and away when the call was for down and inside is an opposite-field freebie single. This Braves staff does not exactly ooze that kind of reliability.

Ryan said analytics readouts are customized to include the pitchers’ weaknesses, too. Nevertheless, Freeman, who sees the shift as a hitter more than any Brave, feels the tactic may take away just one hit in 10 that would have gone through a straight-up alignment.

“People say it works awesome and love it,” Freeman said. “And then there’s other guys. Maybe I’m not a big fan of it because I have had a couple hits taken away from me in that situation. But it’s to each their own. If people are comfortable taking away that one hit out of 10 and letting those eight-hoppers go through, that’s whatever they want to do. That’s just my opinion.”

Welcome to Noah Woodward’s world. An economics major from Davidson, with additional study at the London School of Economics, he didn’t make the final cut for Davidson’s baseball team. But he maintained a scientific interest in the game and, following graduation, was contributing analysis pieces to the seamhead bible Baseball Prospectus, where some in the Braves front office first saw his name. He was hired on five months ago as major league operations analyst.

“I’ve always been into the numbers and always figured that could be my angle to get into baseball,” he said. “And I feel pretty lucky to get to.”

For research, he pulls from Baseball Info Solutions, the Pennsylvania-based stat service given much credit for the shift revolution. But more so, Woodward relies on TrackMan, the radar tracking device installed in all major league parks. TrackMan breaks down 27 components on each pitch — pitch spin rate, bat speed at contact, how long a batted ball stays in flight — that lend to analytic projections: who hits the ball where most often.

“The toughest thing about shifting is you want to make sure you’re customizing to the situation, that you’re not taking a cookie-cutter approach to doing it,” Woodward said. “I think with some of the information that’s out there, you’re kind of able to tailor the information to the situation. It’s something to leverage so that everyone feels comfortable.”

For each series, he and Rob Smith, who runs the Braves’ video operations, prepare an app with stat info that the coaching staff can access via iPad. For the players’ advance meetings, the info is reviewed through a PowerPoint presentation. And if an unforeseen situation comes up during the game, Woodward remains at his post in the basement to handle questions run up from from the dugout.

“I’m down here all the time,” he said.

2016 top infield shifting teams 1. Astros 232 2. Brewers 203 3. Angels 186 4. Rockies 175 5. Yankees 149 17. Braves 101 (Through 14 games) 2015 lowest infield shifting teams 26. Marlins 521 27. Mets 506 28. Dodgers 495 29. Braves 470 30. Nationals 416 Source: FanGraphs

Braves’ power outage is longest in 33 years

By David O'Brien - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

If you figured the Braves had nowhere to go but up in the home-run department after hitting just 100 a year ago, well, not so fast.

They had just three home runs through 15 games before Friday, the fewest for the franchise at that point in a season since the Boston Bees had two through 15 games in 1937. (The Boston Braves changed their name to the Bees for five seasons through 1940 in an attempt to change the club’s fortunes).

The current Braves entered Friday on a 10-game homerless streak, their longest such drought since the 1983 Braves had a 13-game stretch in May without a homer.

That 1983 team had Dale Murphy with 36 homers and two others with 20 apiece, Chris Chambliss and Bob Horner, and finished with 130 homers, three above the major league average that season.

The 1937 team finished with 100 homers in 152 games, 54 of those long balls coming from a pair of future Hall of Famers, Jimmie Foxx (36) and Joe Cronin (18). That team total was the same as last year’s Braves hit in a 162-game season, which was 20 fewer than the Marlins’ next-lowest total in the majors.

Freddie Freeman had 18 homers last season, while no other Brave had more than 10. Freeman had one home run before Friday, and that came in the first inning on opening day.

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said he wasn’t concerned about the lack of long balls so far from Freeman and others.

“Especially here (in Atlanta), when it gets warmer here the ball jumps a little more,” Gonzalez said. “We’ve had some cool evenings and even the opposition hasn’t hit many home runs. Knock on wood. (Bryce) Harper in that one series, and (Adrian) Gonzalez the other night, but there haven’t been (many).

“This park plays better than fair, for me. Especially in the early months of the season when it’s still cool out. But in the summertime some of those balls that (Freeman) hits, especially in left-center – that’s where his power is – you’ll see the ball start (carrying more).”

However, so far this season all the Braves home runs have come at home. They hit none in seven road games at chilly Nationals Park and air-conditional Marlins Park.

The team’s three homers entering Friday was less than half of the next-lowest total in the majors, and there were 17 teams with at least 15 homers, eight with 20 or more, and 32 players already with four or more.

The Braves’ home runs leaders, with one apiece, were Drew Stubbs, Adonis Garcia and Freeman. Garcia also went deep in the opener, and the Braves’ only home run in 14 games since was Stubbs’ homer April 10 against the Cardinals.

It’s a small sample size and no one expects it to continue at quite that bad a pace, but if it did the Braves would finish with 32 home runs in 162 games.

“To be completely honest, I don’t think we’re a team that’s going to have three or four guys with 20-plus home runs,” Gonzalez said. “I don’t think we have that on our team right now. And I don’t think that’s talking out of school or anything like that. It is what it is.”

Braves don’t blame home infield for errors

By Michael Cunningham - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

That the Dodgers left Turner Field complaining about the condition of the stadium’s infield isn’t notable when viewed in the context of finicky major league players. They tend to grumble about such things, especially when they make fielding errors like the Dodgers did during the series that concluded Thursday.

But what bothered Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez about the ESPN story on the topic was that it quoted an anonymous Braves source suggesting that players planned to contact their union to pressure the club to improve the surface. Gonzalez said field director Ed Mangan has always been receptive to whatever adjustments the Braves want made to the infield, and noted that Mangan’s office is adjacent to the team’s dugout.

“To throw someone under the bus and make excuses about the field for making errors, that would be a hard pill to swallow,” Gonzalez said.

Braves infielders were charged with eight errors in the eight home games played before Friday’s series opener against the Mets, but five of those errors were throwing miscues. Two of the non-throwing errors were committed by inexperienced third baseman Adonis Garcia, and veteran shortstop Erick Aybar made the other.

The Dodgers complained after they committed four errors in the first two games of the two-game series at Turner Field earlier this week, all on the left side of the infield. The ESPN article quoted Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and two players complaining about the field, with veteran NL second baseman Chase Utley saying the field had “changed a little bit over the years.”

ESPN reported that the Brave source cited “uneven grass and the unpredictable are where the turf meets the infield grass” as problems. Braves catcher Tyler Flowers, the team’s players’ union representative, said he wasn’t aware of any major complaints among teammates.

“I think there are normal complaints, whether serious or joking in batting practice, probably at every stadium.” Flowers said. “You have to blame it on someone because it ain’t your fault. That’s just how we are. But really, beyond that, I haven’t heard much of anything else. We have had some errors and teams have had some errors against us, but I haven’t seen anybody kick the dirt or rip up some grass because of it.”

Braves veteran Kelly Johnson in his third stint with the team since making his big-league debut in 2005. He said most infield surfaces have issues early in the season.

“Every field I have been on there are going to be things to be tinkered with, whether it’s wanting the field to be saturated or watered down more, wanting the grass to be a little taller,” he said. “Grounds crews will try to help you out as much as they can if there is something that needs to be fixed. Hopefully that will be the case.”

Gonzalez said Mangan made changes to the Turner Field dirt surface when Braves coaches made suggestions during the offseason. He said the hybrid grass won’t grow higher until there is consistently warm weather at night.

Gonzalez said when he met with Mangan on Friday, and the field director was “hurt and disappointed” by the ESPN article. The manager said if his players have complaints they should take them directly to Mangan.

“He is there (in his office) every single day,” Gonzalez said Friday. “He will do whatever we ask him to do.”

Braves grow hope down on the farm

By Steve Hummer - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

On nights such as Tuesday, at the big empty ballpark out on the northern frontier of Gwinnett, it looks as if the pipeline surely will burst.

There is just too much talent to contain.

On a night when the starter is as untouchable as poison ivy, when a 21-year-old top prospect is hitting every ball square, when all around the field acrobats in long pants are diving and tumbling, leaving no ball un-caught, the remedy to every Braves anxiety seems at hand.

Tomorrow, who knows?

Only 800 fans witnessed this mid-week show put on by the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves, an inadequate number of eyeballs for a production as entertaining as this, but at least the right people were paying attention.

A bigwig from corporate HQ, president of baseball operations John Hart, was in the seats, no doubt quite pleased. And even as he was in mid-broadcast of the major league team’s game against the Dodgers, 37 miles away, radio guy Jim Powell tweeted to his followers the news that young Aaron Blair was no-hitting the Durham Bulls.

The unwritten message: Hang in there, fans, help is on the way.

To be a Braves believer these days requires quite an expanded range of vision. The major league club traded just about everyone either popular or familiar in the name of re-stocking a depleted minor league system. All recent pains — the 95 losses last season, the nine-game losing streak to start this season — were framed as therapeutic and necessary for the long-term good. And fans suddenly needed a good road atlas.

Can you find Zebulon, N.C.? That’s where Dansby Swanson was hitting .333 with an .880 OPS in 14 games through Wednesday for the Carolina Mudcats, the Braves’ high Single-A affiliate.

Pearl, Miss.? The gateway to Jackson. Also known as the temporary Double-A home of flashy infielder Ozzie Albies and treasured arms Sean Newcomb and Lucas Sims. Rome’s in Georgia, too, you know. Max Fried, another pitcher of great promise, is there for the time being.

Closest of all is the apex of the Braves’ minor league pyramid, the Gwinnett Braves, the last stop before the good life of five-star hotels, jets with actual leg room and clubhouse spreads that deserve their own Food Network show.

The talent funneling there at the season’s beginning — and the talent that is sure to flow over the course of the summer — moves general manager North Johnson to declare, “Absolutely, there’s no question this is the best team we’ve had since I’ve been here.” He arrived in Gwinnett in 2010, one year after the team moved there from Richmond.

Proof comes in many packages. Tuesday night it showed itself in the form of starter Blair (acquired as part of the deal that sent Shelby Miller to Arizona), who no-hit Durham for seven innings before being lifted. And third baseman Rio Ruiz, who despite being the youngest player on the team continued his explosive hitting (he was batting .367 through the team’s first 14 games).

Nowadays, Gwinnett most reflects the Braves’ emphasis on attempting to corner the pitching market. And that shows up in the starters’ combined ERA — 2.45 before the team departed Thursday for an eight-game trip.

“Every night in this minor league system there is a big arm throwing. Every single night,” Gwinnett starting pitcher Tyrell Jenkins said.

When Brian Snitker was re-assigned to manage the G-Braves in 2014 — coming from the big club’s third base box — he noted that “there wasn’t a whole lot in the system, I saw it for myself.”

“The last couple years,” he said this week, “it has been amazing to me what they’ve done and how they’ve stockpiled some numbers — really good players, really good athletic baseball players.”

The sentiment is shared throughout the system.

The GM at Rome, Mike Dunn, said he senses a greater interest in the Braves’ minor league talent each time “I go to the post office and pick up the crate of fan mail.”

Carolina GM Joe Kremer said the card collectors are showing up more at his games, going Swanson hunting.

At no time is the objective to build championship minor league teams. This is all about developing players who might slowly turn the fortunes of the big league club. It is trafficking in a most highly speculative market, that of human potential, fraught all the uncertainties that come wrapped in flesh.

It’s about having something hopeful to say when Gwinnett pitching coach Marty Reed completes his nightly report and sends it on up the line, or when he is in one of his many conversations with Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell.

The messages have been more glowing than in the past, and the energy that sparks in a minor league pitching coach is plain enough to hear. “When (the prospects arrive), you better be a part of it,” Reed said. “I know a lot of people are down on what’s going on at the big leagues. We have accumulated a group of players who, if they come, you’re going to have a pretty good club for a long time.”

The Gwinnett Braves may win a little more this year — they currently lead the International League South. Their marketing motto — “The Future is Here” — rings as more than just the usual minor league message, but a concrete promise. Already outfielder Mallex Smith and infielder Daniel Castro have been summoned to Atlanta.

Still, a lot of good baseball goes unseen, as this team, burdened by its proximity to the major league product and the big-city realities of traffic and a hundred other diversions, lags near the bottom of International League attendance.

More people will note, however, what happens there, because that ultimately will define the aggressive rebuild by the new Braves management and set the course for what happens inside that shiny palace in Cobb County. What else is there to hold onto while the big league club marks time at Turner Field?

Everyone realizes that, from the oldest hand in the front office to the youngest Gwinnett Brave.

From the mouth of Ruiz, the relative babe: “I think what the Braves have done is very noticeable by the baseball world. We’re developing talent everywhere, at every position. I think we’re going to be pretty good for the years to come.”

It’s a great time to be a Braves prospect

By Steve Hummer - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

You are soooo close, physically and professionally. Less than 40 miles away lies the ballpark nobody wants anymore but nevertheless looks to you like Xanadu rising just off the Downtown Connector. Paradise with a 5,600-square-foot video board. Turner Field, for a few more months, beckons.

If you are a Gwinnett Brave and you are among the handful of top prospects assigned there, you know you have come along at a time rife with opportunity.

You have heard everyone talk about how loaded the Braves’ minor league system is now, compared with how fallow it was just a couple of years ago. And how everything rests on advancing prospects up the chain and into the big league clubhouse.

You have have seen several of your number already whisked up to the clouds — ready or not there went Mallex Smith and Daniel Castro. Could you be next?

“I tell them every year: You guys are in play. Don’t worry about it if you’re not on the (major league) roster. Because these guys are really good at finding a roster spot. They’ll find a spot if you do something to stand out,” Triple-A Gwinnett manager Brian Snitker said.

Those words seemed to carry even more weight in this rebuilding year.

“What a great place to be for a player, knowing that you are in the mix, in the fold. If you do good, you have a chance. You can’t ask for anything more than that,” he said.

In the meantime, these prospects line up and deal with their proximity to Atlanta and the excruciating nearness of reaching their major league summit as best they can.

For pitcher Tyrell Jenkins, No. 34 in your Gwinnett Braves program and No. 8 on the list Braves prospects according to MLB.com, that means squinting very hard and focusing only on today.

“It’s really hard knowing you’re this close, most of us living in Atlanta. You get a taste of it just being down that way,” he said. “But for the most part we’re here for a reason, you got to get a little work in. Day by day, with each start, we’re all getting better, and we’re all getting a step closer. Trying not to jump the fence too soon is one of the hard things.”

Friends have asked Jenkins, who broke in a Triple-A last season, to go to a game in Atlanta on the exceedingly rare occasion when the Gwinnett Braves schedule didn’t conflict. He has politely declined.

“I’m not going to go to a (major league) game unless I’m in uniform and I’m pitching,” he said.

“It would kind of be embarrassing to watch a team you’re trying to be on and you haven’t made it yet. I feel like I have to earn that, to be in that ballpark and in that clubhouse with those guys.”

Third baseman Rio Ruiz this week journeyed downtown, but it was only to further his transition from native Californian to Southerner by taking breakfast at the Flying Biscuit. Otherwise, he figures it does him little good to look toward Turner Field and what’s happening inside.

“That’s not my team right now,” said Ruiz, just 21 and on a tear at the plate for Gwinnett at the moment (hitting .367, six of his 18 hits for extra bases, through Wednesday).

Watching the Braves, waiting for the latest stumble in the bullpen or the next injury to open a door doesn’t seem to be the most productive use of time for this bunch.

As it is, there is ample push and pull on these players, from all levels of the Braves’ system. Especially the pitchers. There is a competitive friction that should keep all of their blades honed.

“Every day with this rotation we have here it’s a competition to go out and see if you can compete with what the guy the night before did. It’s fun to be around,” said starter Aaron Blair, who made his most convincing case for a spot with the Braves by throwing seven no-hit innings for Gwinnett on Tuesday.

Whatever their position, wherever they came from, however long it takes to break through to some team, there is but one common vision of the future for these oh-sooo close players.

As Ruiz talks about his father, he spells it out so all can understand: “The story goes with him that the first son he had was going to be a baseball player. That was going to be his project. It’s working out pretty well for him so far. He got me to minor league baseball. And hopefully one day he can answer that call where I’m telling him I’m going to be a big leaguer.”

Braves’ infield future looks bright in minors

By Staff

The Braves farm report from Thursday night is a tale of three infielders, each a highly regarded prospect, and it isn’t a reach to think that one day soon they could form three-fourths of the Braves’ starting infield.

The infielders are Rio Ruiz, Ozzie Albies and Dansby Swanson. Ruiz is a third baseman, and Albies and Swanson likely will form the double-play combination, though both are playing shortstop this season.

On Thursday, Ruiz and Swanson each was 2-for-4, and Albies was 1-for-4.

Here’s a look at their primary stats on offense this season:

Ruiz (Triple-A Gwinnett): .377 average (20-for-53) with one home run and eight RBIs. He has nine runs scored, four doubles and a triple. He has a .431 on-base percentage and .978 OPS.

Albies (Double-A Mississippi): .350 average (21-for-60) with no home runs and three RBIs. He has nine runs scored, two doubles and two triples. He has a .409 OBP and .859 OPS.

Swanson (high Single-A Carolina): .344 average (21-for-61) with one homer and nine RBIs. He has eight runs scored, nine doubles and no triples.

Their stats on defense?

Ruiz: one error in 33 chances, with 22 assists, and he has taken part in seven double plays.

Albies: three errors in 74 chances, with 52 assists, and has taken part in 11 double plays.

Swanson: two errors in 75 chances, with 45 assists, and has taken part in 15 double plays.

In addition to those red-hot numbers, they have in common a high number of strikeouts. Ruiz has 14 in 14 games, Albies 11 in 15 games and Swanson 12 in 15 games.

That has been a part of Swanson’s young career. He has 26 in 44 at-bats. That’s a strikeout in 59.1 percent of his at-bats. Ruiz has struck out in 21 percent of his 1,540 at-bats, and Albies has struck out in 13.8 percent of his 652.

The Sports Xchange

Granderson powers Mets over Atlanta

The Sports Xchange

ATLANTA — Curtis Granderson went 3-for-5 with two home runs, including a grand slam, and New York Mets defeated the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Friday at Turner Field.

Granderson hit a grand slam in the second inning and a solo homer in the fourth — both against Atlanta starter Bud Norris. It was the 18th two-homer game of his career and sixth grand slam.

The offensive outburst benefited New York starter Matt Harvey (1-3), who broke a three-game losing streak. He allowed two runs on seven hits and one walk and struck out five in five innings.

Jeurys Familia pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his fourth save.

Norris (1-3) was lifted for a pinch hitter after allowing five runs in four innings. He allowed five hits and two walks, with four strikeouts.

New York scored a run in the seventh on doubles by David Wright and Yoenis Cespedes, who has an extra base hit in seven straight games. Cespedes left the game in the bottom of the eighth after aggravating the bruise on his right leg on the slide into second base.

The Braves added a run in the seventh on an RBI single by Adonis Garcia, but stranded two runners when lefty Jerry Blevins struck out A.J. Pierzynski to end the rally.

There was a 56-minute rain delay in the middle of the eighth inning.

The Mets struck first against Norris in the second inning. He issued two one-out walks and loaded the bases by throwing wildly to third on Harvey's sacrifice bunt. Granderson then smacked a line drive into the right field seats for a grand slam to give the Mets a 4-0 lead.

The Braves cut the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by Kelly Johnson and a run-scoring double from Mallex Smith.

Granderson hit a solo homer in the fourth, this one a high fly into the seats in right, to put the Mets ahead 5-2.

Home plate umpire Jeff Kellogg was struck in the mask by a foul ball in the first inning and had to leave the game. First base umpire Alan Porter moved behind the plate and the game was administered with a three-man crew.

NOTES: The Mets entered the game having hit back-to-back homers in three straight games for the first time in club history. On the other hand, the Braves entered the game without a homer in 10 straight games, their longest homerless stretch since 1983. ... Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said reliever Alexi Ogando was not available on Friday night. The right-hander had worked the previous four consecutive games. ... Hall of Famer John Smoltz tore down the No. 73 sign on the Turner Field wall that designates the number of home games remaining in the facility. Smoltz was chosen to commemorate his 3,000th career strikeout on April 22, 2008. ... Matchups for the second game of the series on Saturday feature New York LHP Steven Matz (1-1, 7.27) against Atlanta RHP Jhoulys Chacin (0-0, 2.38).

Associated Press

Granderson, Mets continue power surge, beat Braves, 6-3

By CHARLES ODUM (AP Sports Writer)

ATLANTA (AP) -- Matt Harvey described his pitching as ''a work in progress'' following his first win of the season.

With the Mets continuing their home-run spree, that was more than enough.

Curtis Granderson homered twice, including a grand slam, to drive in five runs and the New York Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 6-3 on Friday night.

Granderson's sixth career grand slam was a line-drive shot he pulled into the right-field seats off Bud Norris (1-3) in the second inning. Granderson had three hits, including another homer off Norris in the fourth, giving him four on the season.

New York has 21 homers in its last seven games - the most in a seven-game span in franchise history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Granderson insisted he was ''Not locked in at all.''

''I'm just trying to go ahead and get pitches you can put a good swing on and I was able to do that on a few of the at-bats there,'' Granderson said.

Harvey (1-3) ended a streak of four straight losing decisions, including his first three starts this year. He needed 101 pitches to make it through five innings as he allowed two runs and seven hits and one walk.

''It felt like I was releasing the ball the way I should be,'' Harvey said. ''There's more positives than negatives out of this game.''

Harvey gave up a walk and two hits in the fifth but got out of the inning when center fielder Yoenis Cespedes threw out Nick Markakis at the plate. Markakis tried to score from second on A.J. Pierzynski's third single.

''I'm thrilled that we got a bunch of runs and I was able to kind of limit the damage there and help us get a win,'' Harvey said.

Jeurys Familia pitched the ninth for his fourth save.

The Braves have not hit a homer in their last 11 games, their longest drought since going 13 games without a homer in May 1983. Atlanta is last in the majors with only three homers and has no player with more than one.

The Mets have won six of eight. The Braves, who lost nine straight to open the season, have a new three-game losing streak.

Adonis Garcia also had three hits for Atlanta, including a run-scoring single off Antonio Bastardo in the seventh. Pierzynski has 1,999 career hits.

The Braves matched the Mets' 10 hits, but they couldn't find enough key hits.

''We just haven't been able to get anybody on base and string anything together,'' Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Norris lasted only four innings and gave up five runs, four earned, on five hits and two walks.

The game was delayed by rain and lightning for 56 minutes in the eighth inning.

INJURED UMPIRE

Home-plate umpire Jeff Kellogg left the game between the first and second innings after being hit by a foul tip. He walked off the field after being examined by Braves assistant trainer Jim Lovell. Alan Porter, who had been the first-base umpire, took over behind the plate on the three-man crew.

There was no immediate report on Kellogg's apparent injury.

ROSTER MOVE

After the game the Mets optioned right-hander Rafael Montero to Triple-A Las Vegas. The move clears a roster spot for right-hander Jacob deGromto start in Sunday's game against the Braves.

FAMILY DEATH

Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen left the team following his mother's death. Bullpen coach Ricky Bones took Warthen's spot in the dugout and visited Harvey on the mound in the fifth inning.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mets: Cespedes left the game after aggravating his bruised right leg while sliding into second with his seventh-inning double. He initially remained in the game. His exit was announced during the rain delay in the eighth.

UP NEXT

Mets: LHP Steven Matz will put his unbeaten career road record on the line when he starts against the Braves on Saturday night. Matz is 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA in five career road starts, including a win at Atlanta on Sept. 11, 2015.

Braves: RHP Jhoulys Chacin will look for his first win of the season. Chacin has pitched well, with a 2.38 ERA in two starts, but he does not have a decision. Chacin is 1-2 with a 2.88 ERA in five career games against the Mets.

Home-plate umpire Jeff Kellogg leaves Mets-Braves game

ATLANTA (AP) -- Home-plate umpire Jeff Kellogg has left Friday night's game between the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves with an apparent injury after being hit by a foul ball.

There was a delay between the first and second innings as Kellogg was examined by Braves assistant trainer Jeff Lovell behind home plate. Lovell appeared to look at Kellogg's head before the umpire walked off the field and disappeared into the tunnel toward the umpire's locker room.

There was no immediate report on the apparent injury.

Following the delay of about 10 minutes, the game resumed with a three-man crew. Alan Porter, who had been the first base umpire, took over behind home plate.

Braves say don't call error on Turner Field's infield yet

By CHARLES ODUM (AP Sports Writer)

ATLANTA (AP) -- The Atlanta Braves say it's too early to judge the condition of the playing field at Turner Field, which holds a big early lead for having the most errors for any stadium in the majors.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told SiriusXM's MLB Network Radio channel on Friday the infield surface in Atlanta is ''shoddy.'' He said he has heard that Braves players also are complaining.

''This is Major League Baseball,'' Roberts said. ''There are going to be some important games played in that ballpark this year and to have a shoddy surface dictate outcomes is unfortunate.''

Roberts noted that Dodgers shortstop Corey Seagerlost his footing on the dirt when he was charged with an error on Wednesday.

Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said Friday no complaints have come from his players.

Gonzalez said he met Friday with field director Ed Mangan, who explained the infield grass ''is in transition'' because of cool nights in Atlanta.

Entering Friday's games, there have been 22 errors at Turner Field, easily the most in the majors, according to STATS. Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park is second with 15.

The 22 errors are the most by any ballpark through eight games since there were 22 at Montreal's Olympic Stadium in 2000. They are the most through eight home games at the Braves' home ballpark since 1980, when there were 23 at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, according to STATS.

Gonzalez said Mangan, who has been in charge of the Braves' fields since 1990, was ''disappointed and hurt because he takes a lot of pride in our field.''

''He goes 'I have to listen to it on the radio and in the newspaper,''' Gonzalez said before adding with a smile ''And I said 'Welcome to my world. You know, I've got to do it every day.'''

Braves infielder and outfielder Kelly Johnson, in his third stint with the team, has good historical perspective on the field condition this season.

Asked to comment on the complaints about the playing surface, Johnson first said, ''I'm not going to go there'' before adding that the players have to take responsibility for their errors.

''I would say it's early and I think we've shown some sluggish signs on defense ourselves,'' Johnson said.

Johnson said it is not unusual to have to work out issues with a surface early in the season.

''Most grounds crews will try to help guys as much as they can if there's something that needs to be fixed, so hopefully that will be the case,'' Johnson said.

Mets-Braves Preview

By CHRIS RUDDICK (STATS Writer)

New York left-hander Steven Matz tries to follow up one of the best starts of his young career Saturday night when the Mets play the middle test of their three-game series with the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.

Matz (1-1, 7.27 ERA) gave up seven runs and could not get out of the second inning in his first start versus Miami on April 11, but bounced back nicely his second time out in Cleveland, scattering three hits and striking out nine over seven innings in a 6-0 win.

"Honestly, I didn't feel any different," said Matz, who shaved more than 30 runs off his ERA from 37.80. "Last time, I felt really good out of the gate. Today, I felt good out of the gate. I was just able to carry it onto the field."

Matz beat the Braves the only time he faced them, yielding a run over five innings in his fourth career start Sept. 11.

The Mets (8-7) rolled to their fourth win in five games Friday, as Curtis Granderson homered twice, including a grand slam, to drive in five runs and Matt Harvey got his first win of the season in a 6-3 triumph.

Granderson is batting .346 with four homers, two doubles and eight RBIs in his last six games.

"I'm just trying to go ahead and get pitches you can put a good swing on and I was able to do that on a few of the at-bats there," Granderson said.

New York, which homered twice in its first eight games, has now hit 21 in its last seven - the most in a seven-game span in franchise history.

Atlanta (4-12), meanwhile, failed to homer for the 11th straight game, its longest drought since going 13 games without a home run in May 1983. The Braves, who have lost three in a row, are last in the majors with only three homers and no player has more than one.

"We just haven't been able to get anybody on base and string anything together," Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez said.

Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski is 5 for 7 in the last two games and is now one hit away from 2,000 for his career.

The news was not all great for the Mets, though, as Yoenis Cespedes aggravated the bruise on his right leg while sliding into second base. He did not return for the Mets following a 56-minute rain delay.

Getting the call for Atlanta on Saturday will be right-hander Jhoulys Chacin (0-0, 2.38), who has been one of the few bright spots in the early going for the hapless Braves.

Chacin pitched six scoreless innings in a no-decision versus Washington to start the year and followed that up with another no-decision in Miami, as he allowed three runs and four hits in 5 1/3 innings of Sunday's 6-5 win.

Chacin is 1-2 with a 3.00 ERA in four starts versus the Mets, last facing them in 2014.

New York, which has won six of eight on the road, has won its last five at Turner Field. It hasn't won six in a row in Atlanta since a seven-game run spanning the 1985 and '86 seasons.