Slugger #Yoenis Cespedes announced his return from the disabled list with a huge grand slam to carry the #New York Mets to a 6-1 win over the #Atlanta Braves Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader at SunTrust Park. Cespedes, who was sidelined for six weeks, gave the Mets a more comfortable five-run lead in the bottom of the ninth with a bases-loaded long ball to left-center field against #Luke Jackson.
#Robert Gsellman (5-3) yielded three hits over 6 2/3 scoreless frames with four strikeouts and two walks while Addison Reed pitched 1 2/3 innings for his 10th save of the season.
With the win, the Mets improved to 26-33 and sit 3rd in the NL East. The Mets won despite committing three errors, including two by shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera.
After the game, Gsellman welcomed Cespedes' return to the lineup, saying the Mets need his bat and his presence on the field. Mets manager Terry Collins, for his part, called Cespedes as the difference maker in their win.
Rookie starter
Sean Newcomb (0-1) was impressive in his Major League debut, yielding four hits and one unearned run with two walks and seven strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. The 6-foot-5 left-hander retired 11 out of the final 13 batters he faced but took the loss while the Braves slipped to 27-33.
“They seemed to be pretty aggressive, but I felt pretty good,” Newcomb told MLB.com after the game.
"I was just being aggressive and attacking the zone."
#Matt Harvey aims to help Mets in long run
The 6-1 win came one day after Matt Harvey threw 104 pitches in their Friday’s 3-2 loss to the Braves.
Harvey went just five innings, allowing four hits with two walks and three strikeouts. He also did not surrender a run for the first time this season.
However, Harvey wasn’t satisfied with his performance, saying he should be more efficient with his pitches to help the Mets win in the long run. Harvey threw 27 pitches in the second inning where he worked out of a bases-loaded jam.
Despite his high pitch count, Collins was encouraged by Harvey’s command of the breaking ball and the fastball, adding that this performance could inspire the starter to improve further in his next starts.
The skipper also acknowledged that Harvey must go deep to give the bullpen enough time to rest.
With the expected return of #Steven Matz and #Seth Lugo from the disabled list, Collins also plans to implement a six-man rotation to preserve his starters. The Mets' start to the season was derailed due to injuries to key players.
Matz and Lugo will join fellow starters Jacob deGrom, Harvey, Zack Wheeler and Gsellman in the planned six-man rotation. The Mets starters have a 5.07 ERA, the second-worst in the Majors.
