Atlanta, GA (SportsNetwork.com) - Julio Teheran's seven strong innings set the tone for the Atlanta Braves' seventh consecutive victory, a 3-1 decision over the New York Mets that completed a three-game series sweep.
Teheran (8-5) yielded just one run on four hits and three walks in another impressive outing for the right-hander, who lowered his 2014 ERA to 2.29 while extending Atlanta's season-best win streak.
Chris Johnson supplied the offense for Atlanta, knocking in all three runs with a bases-loaded double off Jacob deGrom in the first inning and finishing 2-for-4.
DeGrom (1-5) settled down after his rough beginning to fan eight over five innings, but received little offensive support in New York's fourth straight loss.
"It was a tough series," Mets catcher Travis d'Arnaud said.
While Teheran set down nine straight Mets during a very sharp opening three innings, Atlanta's first three hitters all reached base against deGrom. B.J. Upton began the bottom of the first with a single, with Andrelton Simmons and Freddie Freeman then drawing walks to quickly load the bases.
DeGrom briefly rebounded to record back-to-back outs and keep the game scoreless, but Johnson hit a hard smash that New York third baseman Eric Campbell couldn't handle and the ball caromed into the left-field corner as all three runners crossed the plate.
The Mets finally got to Teheran in the fourth. Eric Young singled before reaching third on a stolen base and a wild pitch before Curtis Granderson lifted a sac fly to left that cut the lead to 3-1.
Young reached on another leadoff single in the sixth, but Teheran picked him off first to help maintain Atlanta's two-run cushion. New York put two more runners aboard during the inning, though Campbell struck out swinging to end the Mets' best remaining scoring threat of the night.
Anthony Varvaro allowed one hit in the eighth after taking over for Teheran, while Jordan Walden struck out two during a 1-2-3 ninth to notch the save and lengthen the Braves' unbeaten run.
"We put together some good pitching performances and got some key hits," Freeman said of the series.
Game Notes
Teheran has now produced a quality start in 16 of his 18 trips to the mound this season ... Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada had a 10-game hit streak end after going 0-for-3 ... Upton extended his hitting streak to nine games ... DeGrom fell to 0-5 in seven starts at night ... The Braves finished 1-of-10 with runners in scoring position.
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