The Braves have now won each of the past 23 games started by Kris Medlen dating back to May 29, 2010. This breaks the Major League record previously shared by the Yankees with Whitey Ford (1950-53) and the Giants with Carl Hubbell (1936-37).
photo by Tim Evearitt
The Braves have won 12 of their past 15 games and concluded September with a 19-8 record. This comes one year after they went 9-19 in September and squandered their comfortable lead in the Wild Card standings.
Medlen limited the Mets to an unearned run and three hits while completing just six innings in his final regular-season performance. He went 9-0 with a 0.97 ERA in the 11 starts that he made after being transformed from reliever to starter at the end of July.
Medlen has gone 14-0 with a 2.38 ERA during the 23 starts that have encompassed his record-setting streak.
This was certainly not the sharpest outing Medlen has had this season. But it was still quite effective. He surrendered a double to Daniel Murphy before stranding a pair of runners in the first inning. The only run he surrendered came courtesy of his inability to catch first baseman Freddie Freeman's feed to first base on Justin Turner's two-out grounder in the third inning.
David Ross gave Medlen all of the support he would need with a three-run home run off Mets starter Jenrry Mejia in the second inning. Jones opened the inning with a walk and advanced to third base on Freeman's double.
Making his first appearance since jamming his left thumb on Sept. 22, Michael Bourn opened the fifth inning with a double and scored when Jason Heyward collected a double of his own off Mejia.
Andrelton Simmons' one-out triple keyed a two-run sixth inning that allowed the Braves to cruise toward yet another win with Medlen on the mound. The last time they lost a game that he started was an extra-innings contest in Pittsburgh on May 22, 2010.
Chipper Jones drew a pair of walks and delighted the home crowd with a single in the third inning. That proved to be his only hit during this emotion-filled weekend that concluded with the crowd chanting, "Thank You Chipper."
---- Source: MLB.com
Chipper Jones waves good-bye to fans as he leaves the field following Sunday's game.
photo by Tim Evearitt