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Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Sport
Michael Cunningham

Ruiz walk-off sends Braves past Mets

ATLANTA _ For the first time all season Braves right-hander Julio Teheran has made two quality starts in a row at SunTrust Park. That wasn't enough for him to earn a win against the Mets but two rookies got the victory for the Braves.

Pinch hitter Rio Ruiz's game-ending RBI single in the ninth inning sent the Braves to a 3-2 victory on Friday. The Braves earned their third straight victory and fifth in the last seven games.

Dansby Swanson started the game-winning rally with one out in the bottom of the ninth when he hit reliever Fernando Salas' 0-2 pitch through the middle of the infield. Center fielder Curtis Granderson was slow to get to the ball so Swanson accelerated around first base and slid in for a double.

Josh Edgin replaced Salas and Ruiz smacked his first pitch through the left side of the infield to score Swanson. It was the first game-winning hit for Ruiz, who made his big-league debut this season.

Swanson hit a go-ahead, two-run double in the sixth before the Mets tied it 2-2 on Travis d'Arnaud's solo homer in the seventh. That cost Teheran a chance at his second win in seven home starts.

Teheran held the Mets to one run over six innings, Granderson's solo homer in the third. In Teheran's previous home start he limited the Pirates to zero earned runs over six innings before the bullpen faltered.

Teheran entered Friday with an 8.40 ERA in six home starts, worse in the majors by nearly a run. His 2.95 ERA in six road starts tied for 14th best in the big leagues.

The Braves couldn't solve Mets right-hander Matt Harvey, who gave up six runs in five innings against the Pirates in his previous start.

The Braves managed four hits (all singles) with no runs against Harvey over five innings. They stranded six base runners against Harvey and their Nos. 1-5 hitters were 2-for-12 with a walk.

The Braves did make Harvey use 104 pitches to get through the five innings, though, and they broke through against Mets reliever Paul Sewald in the sixth.

Matt Kemp doubled to lead off against Sewald. After Matt Adams struck out and Kurt Suzuki popped out, Mets manager Terry Collins intentionally walked Danny Santana to get to Swanson, who entered the game hitting .208.

Swanson laid off a good fastball to even the count and then rapped a line drive to left field to score Kemp and Adams. But the Mets evened the score in the top of the seventh with d'Arnaud's homer and the braves

The Braves couldn't score against Harvey after loading the bases with one out in the second inning.

Matt Adams led off with a walk, Danny Santana hit a one-out single and Swanson followed with a walk. Teheran hit a high bouncer to third baseman Wilmer Flores, who threw home to force out Adams. Ender Inciarte flied out to center to end the inning.

The Braves also stranded base runners after two-out singles in the first and third innings. Matt Kemp struck out to end the first and Adams lined out to end the third. And after Santana's one-out single in the fourth inning, Swanson grounded out and Teheran struck out.

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