 allowed two runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings to win his ninth decision in a row after dropping his season debut. He struck out four, walked none and showed no ill effects after exiting his previous start early because he was hit on the forearm by a pitch.New York shaved the deficit to 3-2 on an RBI single by Tomas Nido that chased Soroka, who made another strong case to be included on the National League All-Star team when pitchers and reserves are revealed Sunday. The Mets loaded the bases with one out but Anthony Swarzak, traded by New York last offseason, struck out Jeff McNeil and retired Alonso on a line drive to left field to preserve the lead.Riley, another impressive rookie, hit his 13th home run in the second after Nick Markakis doubled off deGrom (4-7), who gave up three runs and six hits over six innings.Josh Donaldson had a sacrifice fly in the third.MIRACLE METSIn a pregame ceremony Saturday, the Mets will commemorate the 50th anniversary of their 1969 World Series championship, with about 15 members of that team expected back. A little earlier, Jerry Koosman, Cleon Jones and Jerry Grote are among the former players planning to be on hand when the Miracle Mets receive the key to the city from New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.It's all part of a big weekend celebration that includes a reenactment of the `69 World Series parade Saturday, complete with classic cars. There were replica jersey, pennant and ring giveaways scheduled - even orange 1969 world champs pennants painted in foul territory, plus 1969 Shea Stadium font on the Citi Field scoreboard Friday night. The day before, the club announced plans for a Tom Seaver statue outside the ballpark, and the stadium address was officially changed to 41 Seaver Way in honor of the Hall of Fame pitcher's uniform number.LOOKING GOODIan Anderson, a top Braves pitching prospect, struck out 14 over seven innings in a combined no-hitter for Double-A Mississippi against Jackson.TRAINER'S ROOMBraves: RHP Kevin Gausman (plantar fasciitis) is scheduled to pitch to OF Ender Inciarte (lumbar strain) in a simulated game Sunday at the team's complex in Florida. ... SS Dansby Swanson was rested until entering for defense in the eighth.Mets: Right-handed reliever Jeurys Familia (shoulder) tossed 1 1/3 hitless innings with two strikeouts in a rehab appearance with Class A Brooklyn. He threw 10 of 13 pitches for strikes.WELCOME ABOARDNew York signed third-round draft pick Matt Allan, who received a $2.5 million bonus. The right-hander from Seminole High School in Florida was rated a middle-of-the-first-round talent but lasted until the 89th overall selection. To save enough money from their draft-pool allotment to sign him, the Mets chose seven consecutive college seniors after grabbing Allen.Represented by agent Scott Boras, the 18-year-old pitcher was introduced to media members at Citi Field on Friday afternoon. He passed up a college commitment to Florida to begin his professional career with the Mets. He will report to the club's complex in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and start in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League.UP NEXTMets LHP Steven Matz (5-6, 4.85 ERA) starts Saturday against RHP Julio Teheran (5-6, 3.94). Matz is 5-1 with a 3.40 ERA in nine starts vs. the Braves, who finally beat him in Atlanta on June 19. Teheran is 10-8 with a 2.62 ERA in 27 games, 26 starts, against the Mets.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Mets in freefall as first-place Braves visitFLMThe 2019 season began for the New York Mets like so many other seasons over the past quarter-century -- chasing the defending National League East champion Atlanta Braves.The season is barely halfway complete, but it's become obvious 2019 will also end for the Mets like so many of those other seasons: gazing upward at the far-off-in-the-distance Braves.The Mets will look to at least momentarily stop their freefall Friday night, when they host the first-place Braves in the opener of a three-game series. Defending NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom (4-6, 3.25 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound for New York against Rookie of the Year candidate Mike Soroka (8-1, 2.07 ERA) in a battle of right-handers.Both teams suffered losses Thursday afternoon. The Mets were in position to end a four-game losing streak after scoring three runs in the top of the ninth, but closer Edwin Diaz gave up five runs in the bottom half of the inning as the host Philadelphia Phillies earned a 6-3 victory. The visiting Braves settled for a split of a four-game series with the Chicago Cubs after they fell, 9-7.The loss to Philadelphia ended a disastrous 11-game road trip for New York in which it went 3-8 and blew multi-run leads in each of its last five losses. It is the first time a team has lost five straight games in which it led by at least two runs since 2011, when the Mets did it from April 10-14."They're all tough in the moment," manager Mickey Callaway said after the Mets fell to 37-45, the third-worst mark in the NL ahead of only the San Francisco Giants and Miami Marlins. "This one stings the worst because it just happened. This is a game that we all felt we really needed to win. Again, we put ourselves in a position to do that and we didn't get it done." The Braves, on the other hand, appear to be rounding into form even despite Thursday's loss. Atlanta has the best record in baseball (18-7) this month and is 4 1/2 games ahead of the Phillies in the division."It's a complete team," left-hander Dallas Keuchel, who earned a World Series ring with the Houston Astros in 2017, told reporters after recording his first win with the Braves on Wednesday night. "I know a thing or two about complete teams. This group really excites me, day in and day out." Neither deGrom nor Soroka factored into the decision in their most recent starts Sunday. DeGrom allowed two runs over six innings as the Mets fell to the Cubs, 5-3. Soroka tossed two scoreless innings in the Braves' 4-3, 10-inning win over the Washington Nationals before exiting after he was hit on the right forearm by a pitch while batting against Austin Voth.DeGrom is 7-6 with a 1.88 ERA in 19 career starts against the Braves. Soroka is 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA in three starts against the Mets.--Field Level Media
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