After finding their offense in game one of the series, the Braves bats were nowhere to be found in game two as they were shutout by the Mets 5-0.
The Braves got yet another good start from Jair Jurrjens, but it was all for naught after New York blew the game open in the seventh inning against Scott Proctor.
Mets starter Dillon Gee pitched well as he advanced his record to a sterling 6-0, throwing seven innings of four hit ball, walking two and striking out two.
Atlanta had its chances against Gee, starting in the first inning. Martin Prado led off the game with a single to left field but was thrown out at second base after Fredi Gonzalez for whatever reason attempted to hit and run with Alex Gonzalez. Gonzalez of course didn't make contact on the pitch, and that was that. He singled on the next pitch, but was stranded at second.
The Braves had another chance in the third inning to get a run on the board, as Joe Mather singled to right field to start the frame. A Jurrjens bunt advanced Mather to second, and then a Prado grounder got him to third. Gee then got Gonzalez to strike out to end the inning, leaving Mather on third base.
The rest after the jump..
Another chance was wasted in the fifth inning, as the now high sock wearing Dan Uggla led off the inning with a double. A fly-ball from Eric Hinske advanced Uggla to third. Gee walked Mather, who advanced to second on another bunt from Jurrjens. Prado couldn't bring them in as he grounded out to Jose Reyes after a nine pitch at bat.
The game stayed scoreless until the bottom of the seventh inning. With one out, Jason Bay reached on a rare error by Alex Gonzalez on a routine grounder to shortstop. That error came back to haunt the Braves, as Josh Thole doubled down the right field line to put runners on second and third with one out.
Jurrjens loaded the bases by hitting Ruben Tejada with a pitch, and then gave up a single to right to pinch hitter Jason Pridie to open the scoring and give the Mets a 1-0 lead.
That was the end of the night for Jurrjens, who threw 6.1 innings, giving up six hits, four runs (three earned), while walking none and striking out six.
Instead of bringing in Jonny Venters or Eric O' Flaherty to face Jose Reyes in a bases loaded, one out situation, Fredi Gonzalez decided it was a good time to bring in Scott Proctor. Proctor is the worst reliever on the team, and has no business pitching in a high leverage situation.
There is no reason whatsoever for Proctor to have been put in the game at that moment.
Predictably, Proctor pitched badly, giving up a bases clearing triple to Reyes to up the Mets lead to 4-0. Justin Turner followed with a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Reyes and giving the Mets the 5-0 lead.
Pedro Beato and Tim Byrdak pitched the final two scoreless innings for the Mets.
WP:
Dillon Gee (6-0)
LP:
Jair Jurrjens (7-2)
Tim Hudson takes on R.A. Dickey in the series finale tomorrow night at 8:05 PM EDT.