NEW YORK (AP) – Ender Inciarte sprinted to third when Curtis Granderson lazily threw the ball back to the infield after an eighth-inning flyout and scored the tiebreaking run on a wild pitch that bounced only 10 feet from home plate, boosting the Atlanta Braves over the New York Mets 4-3 Saturday night.
Atlanta overcame a 3-0 deficit and hung on in a wild ninth to beat the Mets for the second straight night and match its longest winning streak this year at four games. Jeff Francoeur and Tyler Flowers hit solo shots for the Braves, who have just 31 home runs this season – 26 fewer than any other big league team.
With the score 3-all, Inciarte doubled against Addison Reed (1-1) leading off the eighth. Freddie Freeman was intentionally walked and Francoeur flied to Granderson in medium right. Granderson looked back Freeman, and then threw softly to second, prompting Inciarte to take off for third.
Nick Markakis struck out and, with Flowers at the plate, Reed bounced a 1-0 slider that catcher Rene Rivera blocked. Reed bounced another slider on the next pitch and the ball bounced to the back of the dirt circling the plate. Rivera retrieved it and lunged toward the plate, and the ball came loose as Rivera slid across.
Dario Alvarez (1-0), claimed off waivers from the Mets last month, got two outs for his second big league win. Jim Johnson got three outs for his first save this year.