Postgame Report: ATL (-150) Winner

The Pickstreak rides again.  We picked up a win last night in a game that had me surprised, mostly by Frankie Montas who had a good start.  Some players have their best stuff under the bright lights.  Montas couldn't get an out in High A ball but only allowed three hits and struck out five over 5.0 innings in his first MLB start of the season.  

The Mets had a 3-0 lead after five innings.  Strider pitched well, he only allowed two hits, both singles, both in the bottom of the fourth.  It was the walks that loaded the bases twice in the inning.  Two base hits and a sacrifice fly put three earned runs on his card.  It was otherwise another good start for Strider who recorded eight strike outs in the game.

Righty Hector Brazoban took over for the Mets in the sixth and walked the first three batters he faced.  Carlos Mendoza pulled him after a sac fly scored a run.  With runners on first and third, lefty Jose Castillo got the call.  Braves manager countered with righty Eli White off the bench.  White came through in a clutch at bat with a pinch hit single that drove in the second Braves' run of the inning.  Castillo pegged the next batter he faced and with the bases loaded, gave up a game tying base hit to Braves' shortstop Nick Allen.  

It's a 3-3 ball game, bases juiced, only one out and Ronald Acuna Jr. at the plate. 

The Met's were up against it.  They called in Reed Garrett, their best high leverage righty.  Garrett pitched the night prior and wasn't rested but the Met's bullpen has been a weakness all season, they don't have much confidence in the their depth.  

I liked the call.  Garrett was the best arm to get them out of the jam.  Acuna worked him to a full count but the Met's righty reliever struck him out with a 94 mph cutter and briefly quieted the Braves rally.  Matt Olson stepped to the plate.  Olson hit 50+ homers a couple years back and is a big time power threat.  Braves fans were on their feet.  Olson didn't park one for a grand slam but came through with a base hit that scored a pair, 5-3 Braves.  

The Met's bullpen gave up five runs in the inning.  Montas had only thrown 80 pitches.  It was a difficult call, pulling Montas in the sixth, with him making his first start of the season in a return from a lat injury that has had him sidelined for three months.  He had a terrible time getting outs in his minor league rehab assignment but he was lighting up the gun with 97 mph four seamers, he was missing bats with his breaking stuff.  He had his A game working.  

The Met's bullpen gave up two more runs before it was over.  The Braves bullpen locked it down. Pierce Johnson struck out the side in sixth.  Rafael Montero and Dylan Dodd didn't allow a baserunner in seventh and the eighth.  

With a four run lead and Braves all-star closer Raisel Iglesias having thrown close to thirty pitches in Tuesday's win, Atlanta called in Enyel De Los Santos.  The Met's got a pair of hits off the righty with only one out in the inning and Juan Soto looming.  Ultimately the Braves went to Iglesias again.  He gave up a hit and allowed a run to score but got All-Star Francisco Lindor to ground out, stranding a pair with Soto in the on deck circle.  

It was a good game. The Braves have won five straight against the Met's and will play game three of a four game series against their division rivals tonight in what should be a heated game.  

As the season moves towards the half-way point, it's been starting pitching depth, good defense and healthy bullpens that have won a lot of games.  The Met's are struggling in all three departments.  The Braves have some issues in the rotation but their bullpen has been good and last night it was the difference.  The Met's bullpen lost the game and has to be their biggest concern heading into the trade deadline.  

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