Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) watches … and waits. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Drama in Queens
First, let’s talk about the “other stuff” from this game. Things like Williams Perez going 6 more strong innings with just 1 walk, though 7 hits led to 2 runs in the first two innings. In fact, it appeared that the second inning might be his undoing: a double and single started the frame, and after a popout, Ruben Tejada drove in a run with a single. Fortunately, he was able to limit the damage by getting Bartolo Colon (via a sacrifice bunt) and then Curtis Granderson (via another popout).
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After that, the Mets got their hits in… triple in the 3rd, pair of singles in the 4th… but they just couldn’t put it all together.
Then Freddie Freeman happened.
Now, you should realize that while Freeman has been hitting .271 in September, he still hasn’t really been himself lately. Over the past few games, he hasn’t been driving the ball very well – and that’s because of his wrist, which has once again started to plague him.
Over his last 2 games, he had been 0 for 8. Going back to 4 games it was 2 for 16. He was also 0-for-Toronto, getting nothing in that entire series.
But last night, while getting the night off – supposedly – he and Fredi Gonzalez did consult one another and decided that he could do a pinch-hit appearance if necessary.
In the top of the 7th inning, that became necessary. Michael Bourn had just put the Braves on the board with a bases-loaded single… the team’s fourth in 5 batters. The bases were still loaded with 1 out, though the Mets still had a 2-1 lead.
The Substitute
Exit Williams Perez. Enter Freddie Freeman. Mets’ fans hold their breath.
Three pitches later – on an 0-2 count – they all exhaled hard. Freeman drilled a ball to the RF corner for a double. I’m still not sure how Bourn didn’t score on the play, but everybody else did. Braves lead 3-2.
Alas, Brandon Cunniff couldn’t hold it. He entered after Matt Marksberry gave up a single to Tejada, and did get 2 quick outs. Eric Young – running for Tejada – stole second base, and that proved crucial as David Wright (who else?) singled him in. Tie game.
That left both teams marking time until the ninth inning. An infield single to Cameron Maybin and walk to Bourn brought up… Freeman again, who conveniently stayed in the game after his pinch-hit appearance in the 7th.
This time it was an 0-1 count… and this time Bourn could trot around from first base… with Freeman trailing him the whole way. 424 feet… and here’s the glorious video. His 17th of the year – only 5th of the 2nd half, thanks to that wrist – and it gave the Braves a 6-3 lead that they’d hold on to.
5 RBI on 2 extra base hits… one of the rare times in baseball history in which this has been done via a player entering the game in the 7th inning or later (see the twitter timeline of Paul on @BravesStatsfor details – he’s been researching this all morning).
All that together means:
- Win #62 on the year with 9 to go. 1 more means 99 losses or less.
- A road series win.
- Winners of 5 of 6 games.
- First series win versus an opponent with a winning record this season. There’s an asterisk to that one, because Toronto was beaten in Canada on April 17-19, though they were at 5-5 before that series began, with the Braves putting them below .500. The same can be said for the Reds, who were 12-12 when Atlanta arrived in early May.
It’s a lot of smoke-and-mirrors, but winning 5 of 6 still feels pretty good. Even if the scores were just 2-1, 2-1, 2-1, 0-4, 6-2, 6-3. Yeah – Shelby Miller pitched that 0-4 game.
Next up are the Marlins in Miami for the final road series of the year. The Braves are still 3.5 games out of third place in the division behind them. A sweep would do two things: (1) it would make third place a possibility; and (2) it would put them into the thick of the race to sort out the draft pick order for next year.
Currently, Atlanta (62-91) still has the 2nd worst record in baseball (the Phillies (57-95) have the top pick all but locked up now), but they are 1.5 games behind Colorado (63-89) and 2 behind the Reds with Milwaukee, Oakland and Miami close by… six teams separated by 3.5 games. Atlanta could still end up with the 7th draft pick… most likely something from 2 to 4.
More video highlights are available below: