Braves 7 – Mets 1
Unless the Mets can advance to the National League Championship Series, this season will be remembered and marked by the same sickening feeling for them:
They can’t beat the Braves.
Perhaps the Mets shouldn’t feel that bad after last night’s 7-1 loss to Atlanta, a game which unfolded in typical Braves-Mets fashion, because no one can beat the Braves.
The inevitable became official last night at cold, damp Shea as the Braves clinched their ninth straight NL East title.
With five games remaining, the Mets could still finish with the same record as Atlanta, but the Braves would own the tie-breaker, a head-to-head series edge.
The game ended ugly for Mets fans and a Met fan. John Rocker was on the mound to finish off Bobby Valentine’s crew and someone threw a bottle at him before he recorded the final four outs of the game.
When Chipper Jones tagged out Bubba Trammell at third to end the game, the Braves celebrated their division crown as if they had won a game in May.
So after losing in typical Braves-Mets fashion – Chipper Jones hit a homer and the Mets didn’t play like the Mets as Robin Ventura and Mike Bordick made throwing errors – the Amazin’s must try to figure out a way to get to – and past – the Braves.
The Mets left the stadium knowing they could return to Shea tonight for game two of the three-game series with a playoff spot assured. The Mets had a chance to clinch the wild-card last night if both the Diamondbacks and Dodgers lost. Both were playing later out West.
Even if they both won, the Mets know all they need is a win in their final five games to clinch a postseason berth. It didn’t come last night, though, as Al Leiter didn’t pitch poorly, but not well enough to win, giving up four runs, three earned, in his 5 1/3 innings.
After Chipper Jones’ sixth-inning, leadoff homer, typical Mets-Braves craziness took place. After Javy Lopez’ one-out double, Leiter walked Brian Jordan and Reggie Sanders.
Leiter then induced Walt Weiss to hit a chopper to Ventura, who ranged in front of Bordick and fielded the ball. He then whirled around and tried to fire home as he fell.
The throw was off line and Mike Piazza didn’t have a chance as it bounded against the backstop, allowing two runners to score.
The Braves’ first run came in a fashion which could only disgust Leiter. In the fifth, Sanders provided the opportunity with a one-out double over a leaping Ventura and into the left field corner.
After Leiter discarded of Weiss on strikes, he faced pitcher John Burkett, who entered the game with a .135 batting average. Burkett flicked a soft single to right on a first-pitch fastball to deliver the run.
It is not the first time Burkett handled the Mets. In the first game of the John Rocker Circus Series, Burkett – who started for flu-ridden Greg Maddux – picked up the win by going five innings and giving up four earned runs in a 6-4 win. Last night, he went six innings and gave up one run.
In the sixth, Chipper Jones did what he always does to the Mets. Leading off the inning, Jones slammed a 1-1 Leiter pitch into the left center field bleachers.
It was S.O.S. once again for the Mets, the same old story, the same old sickening tale for Met fans to watch. This was before the Ventura play.
It will be interesting to see when Leiter’s next start occurs. His turn in the rotation comes up again on the final day of the regular season Sunday against the Expos.
With this game not expected to have any meaning, the question becomes: Will the Mets hold Leiter out so he can pitch Game 1 of the NLDS Wednesday?
Likely, they will have Leiter throw a couple of innings against the Expos – to get in his work – and then start Game 1 or 2 against either the Giants or the Cardinals.
Leiter handled the first trouble of the game smoothly. After retiring the Braves in order in the first and the second, Sanders reached on a bloop single into right center to lead off the third.
Two outs, a walk and a stolen base later, Andruw Jones came up with men on second and third, but Leiter got him on a pop to Edgardo Alfonzo in shallow right.
