It certainly wasn’t pretty but the Atlanta Braves pulled out a win Saturday defeating the New York Mets 5-3 in 10 innings. Prior to scoring three runs in the 10th, Atlanta’s offense was once again held in check by Mets pitching and were down to their final strike before Marcell Ozuna tied the game with a home run off of Edwin Diaz.
Through the first two games of the season, the Braves are hitting just .164 as a team and have piled up 27 strikeouts against just three walks. In more small sample size fun, Atlanta’s top three in the batting order, Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman are a combined 1-for-26 with nine strikeouts over the first two games. Six of those nine strikeouts belong to Acuña.
The Braves will be looking to get into gear offensively Sunday night against new Mets starter Rick Porcello. Porcello spent the 2019 season with the Red Sox and struggled posting a 5.52 ERA and a 4.76 FIP in 174 1/3 innings. Marcus Stroman was originally scheduled to make Sunday’s start but Porcello was moved up due to Stroman’s calf injury. Porcello has made four career starts against Atlanta allowing eight runs in 24 innings.
For Atlanta, Sean Newcomb will make his first regular season start since June 15 of last season when he was pressed into duty as an opener and pitched just 2 2/3 innings. His last start as a member of rotation came on April 13 when he lasted just 1 1/3 innings allowing five hits and four runs against the Mets.
Newcomb excelled after moving to the bullpen last season but came to spring training looking to rejoin the rotation. He will be looking to bring the same aggressive approach that he adopted while in the bullpen to a starting role.
Atlanta will be without starting catchers Tyler Flowers and Travis d’Arnaud again on Sunday as neither made the trip to New York and were still not feeling well Saturday per manager Brian Snitker. Alex Jackson got the start in the first two games of the series but Snitker said that William Contreras would likely catch Newcomb on Sunday. Contreras got into both of the first two games and doubled on the first pitch he saw in the 10th inning to drive home Atlanta’s final run.
Sunday’s game will be featured on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball and is scheduled to get underway at 7:08 p.m. ET.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Sunday, July 26, 7:08 p.m. ET
Location: Citi Field, Flushing, New York
TV: ESPN
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, WNNX 100.5, Braves Radio Network
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