Braves 2, Mets 1

Facing one of the best pitchers in the game with fully half of your regular starting lineup on the bench is apparently not the way to go about scoring a bunch of runs. Even if one of those on the bench in Anderson Hernandez. What was left of the Mets took on Tim Hudson today and the result was the second consecutive complete game victory by an Atlanta starting pitcher. Of course, it didn't help much that David Wright had an awful game.

The Met third baseman went hitless in three at bats and made the final out of the game, though he did get on base once when hit by a pitch. But the real trouble was his three errors in the field, two of which contributed directly to the Braves' second run in the eighth inning.

Tom Glavine pitched well again. He lasted eight innings and gave up just four hits. He struck out five and didn't walk anyone. He did allow an Andruw Jones home run, which accounted for the first Atlanta run. But the second, unearned run was really not his fault. In fact, both he and Wright had two balls hit to them in the eighth inning and Glavine had two assists to Wright's zero.

But the Mets' offense had just three hits and one walk, though two of the hits came in the ninth inning to put their only run on the board. Jose Reyes hit a double and was driven in by a single by Chris Woodward, who really might be the Mets' best option at second base right now. Hernandez has been placed on the DL and Kazuo Matsui called up to start at second and even that seems like it'll be an improvement.

Tomorrow the Mets (10-4) begin a ten-game road trip and a series of four in San Diego against the Padres (6-8). Jake Peavy (1-2, 5.50) will start for the Padres in game one while the task of shutting down Mike Piazza and the Padres will fall to Steve Trachsel (1-1, 4.09). I predict a low-scoring game.  ¶ joe | 10:40 PM |