Mets Roll
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
ATLANTA (AP) – Jose Reyes hit two triples and drove in four runs, and Oliver Perez tossed seven strong innings to lead the New York Mets past the Atlanta Braves 11-1 Friday night.
The Mets are 4-0 for the first time since 1985, when they opened the season with five straight wins for their best start ever. New York can match that start by beating the Braves on Saturday.
The Mets won their first four games, including three against St. Louis, by a combined margin of 31-3. They scored six runs in the eighth against the Braves to turn the game into a rout.
Atlanta suffered its first loss after sweeping three games at Philadelphia.
Mr. Perez (1-0) continued the Mets’ season-opening string of terrific starting pitching. He gave up only five hits and one run and did not walk a batter. He struck out six.
Mr. Perez gave up Jeff Francoeur’s first homer to lead off the fourth inning but otherwise wasn’t threatened.
Mr. Perez, 0-7 in road games for the Pirates and Mets last season, won on the road for the first time since Sept. 24, 2005, when he earned the victory for Pittsburgh in an 8-3 win at Los Angeles.
Mr. Perez was 3-13 with a 6.58 ERA for the Mets and Pirates last season. The left-hander won the No. 4 spot in the New York rotation by posting a 2-3 spring record with a 3.51 ERA.
Mr. Reyes led the majors in triples with 17 each of the last two seasons. He led off the game with his first triple to center off Mark Redman, and scored on Paul Lo Duca’s fly ball to left field.
Mr. Redman (0-1) made his first start for Atlanta after signing with the team in spring training. He gave up nine hits and five runs in 5 2-3 innings.
David Wright doubled and scored on Shawn Green’s one-out single in the sixth, and Mr. Reyes added a two-run triple. Mr. Reyes and Carlos Delgado had two-run singles in the eighth as the Mets took an 11-1 lead.
Mr. Reyes hit two triples in a game for the third time in his career and the first time since May 26, 2005, against Florida.
Notes:@ The Mets also opened the season with two straight road series in their 5-0 start in 1985. … 2B Chris Woodward, who played for the Mets last season, started and hit leadoff for the Braves. … The Mets outscored the Cardinals 20-2 in sweeping a three-game series in St. Louis to open the season. … The attendance for the Braves’ home opener was 51,014, a sellout.
