LDN - Sports

Inciarte, Braves rob Mets, complete sweep

[September 22, 2016] NEW YORK -- Atlanta Braves interim manager Brian Snitker figures center fielder Ender Inciarte's game-saving catch Wednesday night will be a highlight-reel staple the rest of the season.

It might haunt the New York Mets a lot longer than that.

Inciarte scored the tying run in the eighth inning and drove in the tiebreaking run in the top of the ninth before leaping at the wall and robbing Yoenis Cespedes of a two-out, three-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth. The grab preserved a 4-3 win that completed a three-game sweep by the Braves at Citi Field.

"I think this is the best feeling I've had in a baseball game," Inciarte said. "Robbing a home run in that situation, it's really special. Really special feeling."

Inciarte was about the only person at Citi Field who didn't think Cespedes had launched the game-winning homer off Jim Johnson.

"When it left the bat, I was like, 'Oh my God,'" Snitker said.

"I thought, 'Oh no,'" first baseman Freddie Freeman said.

But Inciarte, who was shaded toward left-center field, sprinted to his right. As he neared the wall, he extended his left hand and left foot before leaping and grabbing the ball as it went over the orange home run line in right-center field.

"We'll be watching that the rest of the summer," Snitker said.

Inciarte came down with the ball held it aloft in his glove as Johnson raised both arms and the Braves (61-91) began spilling out of the dugout. The celebration carried over into the clubhouse, where somebody in the shower could be heard singing "Hakuna Matata" -- the theme song from "The Lion King" that serves as Cespedes' walk-up music.

"Once I looked back (and) saw Ender running back on a full sprint -- obviously, I didn't know he was going to make a catch like that, but it looked like he had a chance," Freeman said "One of the best catches I've ever seen. Huge. I still can't wrap my mind around that, how he did that. Just incredible."

If the Mets don't reach the playoffs, they may spend all winter trying to wrap their minds around how they squandered the Wednesday game.

New York (80-72) entered the day in a three-way tie with the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals for the National League's two wild-card spots. The Cardinals' loss earlier Wednesday ensured the Mets will begin Thursday no worse than tied for the second wild card.

"It's a great catch," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "One of the best you'll ever see."

The Mets appeared headed for a relatively easy win when they carried a 3-0 lead -- via a two-run homer by Asdrubal Cabrera and a solo shot by Rene Rivera -- into the seventh. However, Bartolo Colon, who allowed only one runner beyond first base in the first six innings, gave up a one-out single to Nick Markakis before allowing a two-run homer to Anthony Recker.

The Braves tied the game in the eighth against a trio of Mets pitchers. Inciarte led off against Addison Reed by reaching on an error by first baseman James Loney. He went to second on a one-out single by Freeman off Josh Smoker. After a double steal, Inciarte raced home on a sacrifice fly by Matt Kemp off Jeurys Familia.

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Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte (11) is safe at first base after a throwing error by first baseman James Loney (28) to New York Mets relief pitcher Addison Reed (43)in the eighth inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports

Cespedes crushed a one-out double to left -- and missed a homer by a few feet -- in the eighth, when the Mets left the bases loaded after Ian Krol (2-0) struck out Kevin Plawecki for the final out.

Jace Peterson led off the ninth against Familia (3-4) with a single, went to second on a bunt by Dansby Swanson and took third on a single by pinch hitter Emilio Bonifacio. Inciarte grounded out to second on a 1-2 pitch to bring home Peterson.

"He just grinded out an at-bat right there to knock in the go-ahead run," Snitker said "Just put the ball in play, give yourself a chance. That was a really big at-bat there."

Pinch hitter Brandon Nimmo led off the ninth with a single against Johnson (17 saves), who struck out pinch hitter Jay Bruce and walked pinch hitter Travis d'Arnaud. Cabrera followed with a fly out to bring up Cespedes, who struck out against Johnson on Tuesday as the potential winning run in a 5-4 loss.

"Second night we've got the right guy up there in the right time," Collins said. "Just made a tremendous play to save the game."

Colon allowed two runs, six hits and no walks while striking out six in 6 2/3 innings.

Braves right-hander Ryan Weber, making his first start of the season, gave up three runs, four hits and two walks while striking out three in five innings.

NOTES: Braves 1B Freddie Freeman went 2-for-4 as he reached base safely for the 41st straight game and extended his hitting streak to 25 games. Atlanta LF Matt Kemp's 12-game hitting streak ended after he went 0-for-3. ... Braves RHP Jose Ramirez dropped his appeal of a three-game suspension for throwing behind Marlins RHP Jose Fernandez on Sept. 14. He will be eligible to return Saturday. ... Mets RF Jay Bruce was out of the lineup for the third time in the last four games. His strikeout in the ninth inning dropped him to 3-for-38 since Sept. 5. ... Mets RHP Jacob deGrom underwent successful surgery Wednesday to reposition the ulnar nerve in his right elbow.

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