Atlanta, GA (Best E Casino) - Josh Anderson went 3-for-4, knocked in a run, scored and stole two bases, and the
Atlanta Braves hung on for a 4-2 win and knocked the
New York Mets out of first place in the second of a three-game set.
With the loss the Mets, who reclaimed first place in the NL East with a win over the Braves Friday in the series opener, fell back to a half-game behind the Philadelphia Phillies, who edged Florida 3-2 on Saturday night. The Mets lead the NL wild card by 2 1/2 games over the slumping Milwaukee Brewers, who were downed by the Cincinnati Reds 4-3 on Saturday.
Jorge Campillo (8-7) held the Mets to two runs on five hits in six innings, with two strikeouts and two walks to get the win for the Braves, who stemmed a four-game losing streak.
"It felt good," said Campillo, who won for the first time since August 8 at Arizona. He was 0-3 with four no-decisions in seven starts since. "A lot of people are talking about I'm tired. I'm tired, but everybody's tired."
Pedro Martinez (5-6) gave up four runs on nine hits in six frames, with seven strikeouts and three walks, to take the loss. Martinez's two-run double was the lone offense for the Mets, who had won three straight to re-take the top spot in the division.
"I can't really pinpoint what's been going on, but I guess maybe I'm not being as aggressive as I should," said Martinez. "Sometimes I try to be aggressive, and I end up giving up a couple of homers."
The Braves got to Martinez for three first-inning runs. Anderson singled and stole second, Martin Prado walked, and Kelly Johnson doubled to right, plating Anderson. Brian McCann's groundout scored Prado, and Casey Kotchman laced a two-out RBI single to center for an early 3-0 Atlanta lead.
Martinez settled down after the rough first inning, and Mets manager Jerry Manuel left him in the game when his lineup spot came up with two outs and runners at first and second in the fifth. Martinez made a genius of Manuel by ripping a high fastball into the gap in right-center, and the two-run double cut the deficit to 3-2.
The Mets offense struggled for life after their pitcher helped them out, though. David Wright doubled with one out in the sixth, but Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran both grounded out, stranding Wright.
Anderson's two-out RBI single to right in the sixth added an insurance run for Atlanta, which took a 4-2 lead.
Braves relievers Will Ohman, Jeff Bennett, and Mike Gonzalez nailed down the win. Gonzalez struck out two in a perfect ninth for his 12th save of the season.
Game Notes
Martinez's double was the sixth of his career, and his first this season. He threw a season-high 116 pitches...Chipper Jones sat with right shoulder inflammation. Prado played third base in his absence...Johnson went 1-for-4, extending his career-high hitting streak to 18 games.
