WHAT IT MEANS: Chris Capuano wasn't perfect, but he was close.
Capuano fired a two-hit shutout on Friday night against Atlanta, striking out a career-high 13 and facing only one batter over the minimum as the Mets blanked the Braves, 6-0, at Citi Field.
It's just the second time in Mets history that their pitcher threw a shutout, allowed two hits or fewer, struck out 10 or more, and walked none, according to ESPN Stats & Information's Mark Simon. The only other was Tom Seaver in his near-perfect game against the Cubs on July 9, 1969.
Capuano (10-11), who won for the first time since July 28, retired the first 12 batters he faced before Dan Uggla broke up his perfect game with a single through the left side of the infield leading off the fifth.
David Wright would’ve had a chance to field the ball, but the third baseman hesitated as Uggla’s broken bat came flying toward him. Capuano also allowed a two-out double to David Ross in the eighth.
The Mets have now gone 7,936 games in franchise history without throwing a no-hitter.
Capuano's previous career-high in strikeouts was 12, on June 16, 2006 versus Cleveland. His last complete game -- and complete game shutout -- came on July 6, 2006 against the Chicago Cubs (9 IP, 6 H, 6 SO). Capuano has now fired four career complete games and three complete game shutouts.
The last Mets pitcher to throw a two-hit shutout with at least 10 strikeouts? Tom Glavine on Sept. 29, 2005 versus Colorado (9 IP, 2 H, 11 SO).
The last Mets pitcher to have a complete game shutout? R.A. Dickey on Aug. 13, 2010 against Philadelphia. Dickey's was a one-hitter.
NICK OF TIME-LY HITTING: Nick Evans put the Mets on top with a two-out RBI single in the fifth. And that was more than enough for Capuano.
In his last three games, Evans is 6-for-10 with four extra-base hits.
MAKING HISTORY The Mets finally won a homestand opener this season, their first of the year. They started out the 2011 campaign 0-10, which equaled their major league record for consecutive losses to begin a homestand in one season. The Mets lost the first game of their last 10 homestands in 1979, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
SULTAN OF SOUTHPAWS: Luca Duda, who went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, became the second left-hander all season to record an extra-base hit off Johnny Venters, Atlanta's ace southpaw out of the bullpen.
THREE'S COMPANY: Like Duda, Angel Pagan and Ruben Tejada also had three hits on Friday night.
REYES WATCH: Jose Reyes homered leading off the sixth inning for Double-A Binghamton on Friday night. He finished 1-for-3 at the plate, grounding out in each of his other at-bats, and played seven innings at shortstop. Reyes is slated to play nine innings for Double-A Binghamton on Saturday. He will get Sunday off, and barring any setbacks, rejoin the Mets on Monday.
UP NEXT: Due to this weekend’s cancellations, the Mets are not scheduled to play again until Monday, when they host the Marlins in a single-admission doubleheader. Game 1 begins at 4:10 p.m. R.A. Dickey and Dillon Gee, who were scheduled to pitch over the weekend, will start for the Mets, while Javier Vazquez and Chris Volstad will start for Florida.