Matz helps keep Mets hot with 8-2 win over struggling Braves
ATLANTA (AP) David Wright hit a two-run double, Steven Matz earned his second straight win and the New York Mets stayed hot by beating the power-deprived Atlanta Braves 8-2 on Saturday night.
Neil Walker and Asdrubal Cabrera hit back-to-back home runs in the ninth against right-hander Ryan Weber. The Mets had 15 hits and have homers in eight straight games.
Matz (2-1) allowed two runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. The Mets have won seven of nine, including the first two games of the series against Atlanta.
The Braves have lost four straight and were held without a homer for the 12th straight game. Atlanta is last in the majors with only three homers through 17 games - 22 fewer than the Mets. It is the team's longest drought since going 13 straight games without a homer in May, 1983.
Wright had two doubles, including his fourth-inning drive into the right field corner that drove in Travis d'Arnaud and Curtis Granderson. Juan Lagares had a run-scoring triple in the three-run ninth.
Mets leadoff hitter Curtis Granderson had two hits and scored two runs one day after driving in five runs with two homers, including a grand slam.
Matz gave up a run-scoring single to Freddie Freeman in the third inning. The left-hander was pulled after allowing a run-scoring single to Nick Markakis in the seventh.
Matz is 4-0 in six career road starts, including back-to-back wins at Cleveland and Atlanta this season.
Jhoulys Chacin (0-1) allowed four runs, three earned, in 5 2/3 innings.
UMPIRE CHANGE
Greg Gibson replaced injured Jeff Kellogg as acting crew chief for games Saturday and Sunday. Kellogg was the home plate umpire when he was hit by a foul tip in the first inning on Friday night. He left the game after the inning. MLB spokesman Mike Teevan said Kellogg is considered day to day. Teevan didn't disclose the nature of Kellogg's injury.
BULLPEN HELP
The Braves optioned right-hander Casey Kelly to Triple-A Gwinnett and recalled left-hander Matt Marksberry from Gwinnett. Marksberry replaced Chacin in the sixth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Mets: OF Yoenis Cespedes was held out after aggravating his bruised right leg while sliding into second with a double in Friday night's game. Manager Terry Collins said Cespedes may miss more than one game. ''The bruise is pretty big. It's looking pretty bad,'' Collins said.
Braves: OF Ender Inciarte, on the DL since April 9 with a strained left hamstring, may return in about two weeks. Manager Fredi Gonzalez said Inciarte is hitting in extended spring training games but not running full speed. Gonzalez said the plan is to ''ramp him up'' in a few days.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Jacob DeGrom will start Sunday against the Braves after missing one turn because of a sore right lat muscle and another start due to his son's health concern. DeGrom joined the team Saturday and said his son had a form of apnea that caused him to stop breathing after falling asleep. He said his son no longer has the problem.
Braves: The team is expected to recall RHP Aaron Blair or RHP Mike Foltynewicz from Triple-A Gwinnett for the start. The Braves optioned RHP Williams Perez to Gwinnett on Wednesday, leaving a spot in the rotation vacant.