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Glavine defeats Smoltz as Mets sweep
2007-09-02
Tom Glavine finally beat his buddy John Smoltz. Backed by David Wright's two-run homer, Glavine won for the first time in four tries this season against his longtime teammate, beating Atlanta 3-2 on Sunday as the Mets completed a three-game sweep. New York, which dropped four straight in Philadelphia and led the Phillies by only two games before this series, recovered by holding the Braves to four runs in three games. The Mets extended their lead in the NL East to four games over the Phillies. The sweep dropped the Braves 7 1/2 games behind the Mets, their largest deficit of the season. The Braves have lost nine of 12 and are only 22-26 since the All-Star break. Atlanta began the day 6 1/2 back in the wild-card race. Brian McCann's ninth-inning double was the Braves' first extra-base hit of the series. Glavine (12-6) gave up five hits and one run in six innings, with three walks and two strikeouts. The left-hander was 0-2 despite a 2.96 ERA in four career matchups with Smoltz, including three this season. Billy Wagner gave up a ninth-inning run, marking the fifth straight appearance he has allowed a run -- a career-first. He has given up eight runs in 5 1-3 innings in that span. The closer was making his first appearance since giving up four hits and three runs in an 11-10 loss at Philadelphia on Thursday. It was Wagner's third blown save of August. Wagner gave up a double to McCann and a run-scoring single to Kelly Johnson before finishing the inning for his 30th save in 34 chances. Smoltz (12-7) was 3-0 in the rivalry before giving up nine hits and three runs in seven innings. He walked two batters and struck out four. Glavine retired 12 straight batters after giving up a first-inning run, and left the game after Kelly Johnson led off the seventh with a single. Jorge Sosa, another former Atlanta pitcher, then got three straight outs. The 41-year-old Glavine gave up two hits and two walks but only one run in the first. Yunel Escobar and Matt Diaz opened the inning with singles, and a walk to Mark Teixeira loaded the bases with one out. Escobar scored on a grounder to third by Jeff Francoeur. The Mets tied the game with a second-inning run. With one out, consecutive singles by Moises Alou, Shawn Green and Paul Lo Duca loaded the bases. Glavine drove in Alou with a fly ball that Andruw Jones, who had been playing shallow, barely caught in front of the warning track in center. Escobar lost Jose Reyes' fifth-inning fly at shortstop in the sun. The ball fell for a single. Luis Castillo hit into a groundout that would have ended the inning if Escobar had made the catch. Instead, Wright followed with the two-run homer to center on the first pitch from Smoltz, who dropped his head in disgust as soon as Wright made contact. Alou was ejected by first base umpire Andy Fletcher in the eighth. Alou tried to check his swing on a pitch as Carlos Beltran stole second base, but on the appeal Fletcher ruled Alou swung for strike three. Alou took steps toward first and argued the call before he was quickly tossed. Notes: Alou threw out Teixeira at second base after Teixeira led off the sixth inning with a sharp single to left and tried to stretch the hit to a double. ... The Braves (69-68) are only one game over .500 for the first time since June 25. ... Carlos Delgado was 0-for-3 with a walk and three strikeouts.
Padres' Maddux captures 17th Gold Glove (2007-11-07)Wright, Perez carry Mets over Braves (2007-09-11)Glavine defeats Smoltz as Mets sweep (2007-09-02)Owings leads D-Backs to win over Braves (2007-08-18)Bobby Cox ejected in Braves win (2007-08-16)
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