John Smoltz had a miserable outing Saturday night as the Mets ate his lunch scoring nine earned runs off him.
photo by Tim Evearitt (file photo)
The New York Mets scored two runs in the 1st inning and nine runs in the 9th to crush the Atlanta Braves 11-2.
The Mets broke open a tied ninth inning (2-2) scoring 9 runs off reliever John Smoltz to take the second game of the three-game series at Turner Field.
The Mets banged out 14 hits to 6 for Atlanta.
The game was a comedy of errors -
a total of seven (NY had 3 & Atlanta 4)
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The Ugly - Really Ugly - Top Of The Ninth Inning
- Jay Payton tripled to left center.
- Rey Ordonez reached on infield single to first.
- Joe Mcewing struck out swinging.
- Roger Cedeno singled to shallow left (Payton scored, Ordonez to second).
- Roberto Alomar singled to center, (Ordonez scored, Cedeno to second).
- Mark Johnson struck out looking.
- Vance Wilson doubled to deep left center, (Alomar and Cedeno scored).
- Edgardo Alfonzo intentionally walked.
- McKay Christensen hit for David Weathers and reached on infield single, (Wilson to third, Alfonzo to second).
- Payton walked, (Wilson scored, Alfonzo to third, Christensen to second).
Aaron Small relieved Smoltz
- Ordonez doubled to left center,(Alfonzo, Payton and Christensen scored).
- Mcewing doubled to deep right center, (Ordonez scored).
- Mcewing to third on wild pitch by Small.
- Cedeno walked.
- Alomar continues to bat after a dropped foul ball by Chipper Jones.
- Alomar walked, (Cedeno to second).
- Johnson struck out looking (his second strike out in the inning).
Ninth Inning Stats: 9 runs, 8 hits, 0 errors.
Smoltz now has an earned run average of 43.19
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Atlanta must win Sunday afternoon to salvage one game in the three-game series with their division rival from the Big Apple.
The Braves and Mets have been picked as the top contenders in the NL East Division.
Left-hander Damian Moss, a native of Australia, gets the start in place of Greg Maddux who is on the disabled list.