Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) – Brian McCann homered and drove in three runs and Chipper Jones and Melky Cabrera also left the yard to lead Atlanta to a 8-3 win over New York in the rubber match of a three-game set.
McCann finished 3-for-5 with two doubles while Jones went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and belted the 435th home run of his career to move into sole possession of 37th place on the all-time list.
Mike Dunn (1-0) took over for an injured Kris Medlen and threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings to earn his first big league win for the Braves, who improved to a big league-best 36-14 at home. Four relievers combined to allow one unearned run over the final 4 2/3 innings for Atlanta, which has split its last six games.
Mike Pelfrey’s (10-6) struggles continued for New York, as he allowed five runs — three earned — on eight hits and a pair of walks over 4 2/3 frames to take the loss for the Mets, who committed four errors in falling for the fourth time in six games.
Jones singled with two outs in the first and scored when McCann followed with a double down the right field line.
The Mets answered with a two-out run of their own in the second when Josh Thole singled, moved to second base on a walk to Jeff Francoeur and came around on a base hit back through the middle by Luis Castillo.
New York manufactured a run in the third to move in front when Jose Reyes led off with a double, moved to third on an Angel Pagan sacrifice bunt and scored on a Carlos Beltran ground out.
The hosts regained the lead for good in the bottom half, again striking with two outs, when Jones and McCann hit back-to-back home runs. It marked the third time this season the Braves have hit consecutive long balls.
Atlanta starter Kris Medlen left the game in the fifth inning after throwing a 2-1 pitch to Reyes with one on and one out. He was diagnosed with an injury to the ulnar colateral ligament in his right elbow and will have an MRI on Thursday to determine the severity.
Dunn took over and retired Reyes with his first pitch and then set down Angel Pagan to end the frame.
The southpaw then led off the home half with an infield single and moved to second base on a Reyes throwing error on the play and advanced to third on a ground out. Jones walked in front of McCann, who ripped another two-out double to right to chase home Dunn to make it 4-2 and send Jones to third. Eric Hinske was walked intentionally to fill the bases for Matt Diaz, who was hit by a pitch to force in another run and bring an end to the night for Pelfrey.
Hisanori Takahashi came on and got Rick Ankiel to ground out to end the frame.
The Mets then desintegrated defensively in the sixth inning as two errors and an Omar Infante single loaded the bases with one out. Jones hit a ground ball that was fielded by David Wright, who made an errant throw to second base that allowed Cabrera and Infante to score to increase the lead to 7-2.
Pagan’s sacrifice fly in the seventh off Peter Moylan cut the lead to four but Cabrera’s solo shot leading off the eighth against Raul Valdes restored a five-run cushion for the home side.
Wednesday was the first time Jones and McCann have homered in the same game since they did against Zach Duke on June 8 of last season…Jones is 10-for-26 with three long balls off Pelfrey, while McCann is 18-for-37 with two homers off the right-hander…The Mets are 6-17 in their last 23 road games…New York is 4-11 in series deciding games and 1-8-1 in its last 10 series…The Mets have not won a road series against a National League team this season… Pelfrey is 0-4 in his last seven starts…He is 4-7 against the Braves in 14 games, including 13 starts…All nine home runs he has allowed this year have been hit by left-hand batters…The last time the Mets committed three errors in an inning was at home on June 26 of last season against the Yankees…The last time they made four miscues in a game was May 19 of last season in Los Angeles when they committed five…Pagan was 0-for-2 and lost an eight-game hit streak.