Teheran shuts down Mets, Braves win 7th straight
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.