Three Cuts: Fifth-inning flurry helps Braves beat Mets, stay perfect
ATLANTA -- Here are some detailed takes from the Braves' 5-3 victory over the New York Mets on Saturday -- Atlanta's third consecutive win by a two-run spread.
Oh, and the Braves are now 5-0 on the season.
Three doubles and a triple, with a simple sacrifice sandwiched in ... followed by an RBI single from Nick Markakis? That reeks of "raking" more than "small ball," a somewhat derisive term for teams that cannot typically rely on a three-run homer to save the day.
"We had (four extra-base hits during that inning), kept the line moving," said Braves skipper Fredi Gonzalez, repeating one of his favorite post-game mantras. "We did a nice job."
That four-run fifth inning was crazy; and it seemingly came out of nowhere. Through the first four frames, Mets pitcher Dillon Gee (the subject of many offseason trade rumors, given New York's superb pitching depth) had thrown to just 14 Braves hitters, and the only real damage emanated from Freddie Freeman's solo homer in the 2nd.
Alberto Callaspo got the train moving in the 5th, launching the first of three consecutive doubles down the right-field line (preceding Christian Bethancourt and Andrelton Simmons); and after pitcher Julio Teheran's sacrifice, it set the stage for Eric Young Jr.'s hot-shot triple down the -- you guessed it -- right-field line.
The crushing blow scored Simmons; but it also represented the high-water mark, noise-wise, for the Turner Field faithful, who came in droves to support one of baseball's few undefeated clubs (Tigers, Braves, Rockies, Royals, at the time of this writing).
Gonzalez was particularly thrilled with his team's "good situational hitting." Within that scope, he beamed, "We had a (runner) on second three or four times and managed to hit the ball to the right (side) ... it was a good approach at the plate. ... Guys are buying in."
Yes, it was a beautiful night for baseball (first-pitch temperature of 76 degrees, hardly a cloud in sight); and yes, Saturday games are great for families (including the clan of FOX Sports South writer Knox Bardeen). But there was a palpable buzz in the stadium all night ... as if the fans have already become fascinated with the Braves' reinvented style of emphasizing better plate discipline and more aggression on the base paths.
Even if they don't know all the names in the starting lineup yet.
"That fifth inning is what we're going to try to do this whole season," said Freeman. "If we can do that, and play the game of baseball, good things usually happen."
As such, Freeman derived pleasure from his solo shot in the second inning.
"It's always nice to get a lead early," said Freeman. "Our pitchers can relax. They don't have to make the perfect pitch all the time."
**The Braves have scored first in every game to date.
**Atlanta hasn't trailed at any point this season.
**Julio Teheran, the Braves' winning pitcher on Saturday, endured a prodigious run of 17 Mets batters without surrendering a hit.
**The Braves have an average victory margin of 3.4 runs ... despite scoring more than five runs just once. (Think about that for a second.)
**Callaspo, who undoubtedly heard the whispers of being out of shape during spring training, saw his yearly batting average tumble to .500 -- after the 1 for 3 night. His on-base percentage: A scalding-hot .583.
**It's difficult to care about the standings in early April (40-game sample size seems more reasonable) ... but the Braves are the only NL East club with a winning record.
Teheran should consider himself lucky on that play, a straight-up Lucas Duda single to center field. His feet were fully planted after contact (not on the balls of his feet -- or ready-to-pounce mode), meaning the super-quick avoidance reaction was more jolting than smooth.
And when initially viewing the replay, my first thought was Achilles injury, like something in the realm of watching a quarterback or wide receiver in football incur a blowout -- without actual contact with another player.
Instead, it was a minor knee tweak on Teheran's part.
"I pushed myself (on Duda's liner), and felt a little pinch in my knee," said Teheran. "I don't feel anything (now, injury-wise), and that's the most important thing."
Bethancourt's instant reaction didn't help matters initially, waving the Braves trainer onto the field. But in the end, it was merely a close-call situation involving Teheran (one earned run allowed, two hits, four walks, five strikeouts over six-plus innings), who already has two victories.
Speaking of which: Teheran has now faced a situation of bases loaded and zero outs during the seventh inning ... for consecutive games. And both times, the first batted ball (after the loaded bases) went to Callaspo at third base.
On Opening Day (Monday) against the Marlins, Callaspo cleanly fielded the chopper and turned it into a crucial 5-2-3 double play.
On Saturday, Callaspo booted the easy grounder, allowing the Mets to score their first run of the night. Catcher Travis d'Arnaud got hit by a pitch after that, helping New York push across its second run. And the next batter, Wilmer Flores grounded into a tailor-made double play.
In essence, the Mets scored three runs during that inning -- despite hitting zero balls out of the infield with the bases initially loaded.
An odd sequence, for sure.
According to 92.9 The Game's Grant McAuley, the media cannot begin to tantalize readers about the notion of Atlanta tying or eclipsing the franchise record for most consecutive wins to start a season (13 in 1982) ... until Victory No. 9.
So, if the Braves should carry an unblemished record into their Wednesday-night flight to Toronto -- just hours after sweeping the Marlins (again) -- then, and only then, can we talk about breaking one of the most treasured early-season records in Atlanta sports history.
"We enjoy playing together ... and it shows," says Young.
