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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ATLANTA (AP) – The New York Mets are having fun this year at
Turner Field.
|  | | Braves left fielder B.J. Surhoff explains to umpire Brian O'Nora that he believes he made a catch in the sixth inning. O'Nora disagreed. |
Rick Reed pitched a three-hitter and delivered a two-run single in a three-run second inning as the Mets beat the Atlanta Braves 7-1 Thursday night to win their season-opening series.
The Mets took two of three after having lost 21 of their previous 27 games at Atlanta. The Braves have edged the Mets for the NL East title for the past three years.
Atlanta had won seven straight home series against the Mets since July 10-13, 1997.
"We've struggled here. No two ways about it. We haven't had a
good time here," said Reed, in his first game since re-signing with the Mets for $21.75 million over three years. He threw only 95 pitches, 71 strikes.
"This gives us confidence. I think we learned we can come in
here and play," Reed said.
He walked none and struck out three in his first complete game
since Oct. 2, 1999, when he beat Pittsburgh 7-0, also on a
three-hitter. In 30 starts last season, Reed had no complete games.
"It was all Reed tonight," Atlanta manager Bobby Cox said.
"We didn't hit three balls hard all night."
Rey Ordonez, who missed most of last season after breaking his left forearm in May, added two RBI singles and Jay Payton went
3-for-5 to pace the Mets' 13-hit effort.
Atlanta's lone run off Reed came in the sixth when pinch-hitter Keith Lockhart opened with a double and scored on a groundout by Quilvio Veras.
Mets outfielder Tsuyoshi Shinjo of Japan got his first start and went 1-for-4 with a walk, scored two runs and drove in a run in the ninth on a groundout.
The Mets scored three runs in the second and another in the third off Odalis Perez, who lasted four innings. The left-hander allowed eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
Perez missed all of last season and was making his first
appearance since July 22, 1999, when he tore the medial collateral
ligament in his left elbow and had surgery.
The Mets got to Perez for five straight hits in the second when Todd Zeile led off with a double, Payton got an infield single and Shinjo singled to left, loading the bases.
"I wasn't getting my pitches in perfect spots," Perez said.
"They didn't it the ball hard, but they found the holes. They
scored four runs, but no balls were hit that well. But that's part
of the game."
Ordonez, 0-for-6 entering the game, got an infield single, scoring Zeile, and Reed followed with a single, scoring Payton and Shinjo.
"I thought he pitched pretty good, but he did make two mistakes to their eighth hitter (Ordonez) and the pitcher," Cox said.
Ordonez added an RBI single in the third and Robin Ventura and Mike Piazza had run-scoring singles in a two-run sixth off Joe Slusarski.
Game notes
Reed's two RBIs matched his total for all of last season
when he hit .204 (10-for-49) ... Atlanta manager Bobby Cox, with
1,618 victories, is one win away from tying Ralph Houk for 13th on
the career list. ... When the Braves play the Mets on Monday in New
York's home opener, it will be their fourth appearance in a season
opener this season. Atlanta opened the season at Cincinnati on
Monday, had their home opener against the Mets on Tuesday and will
play Florida in its home opener on Friday night. ... Reed's
complete game was his eighth in six plus major league seasons.
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RECAPS
Toronto 11
Tampa Bay 0
Minnesota 9
Detroit 5
NY Yankees 1
Kansas City 0
Baltimore 2
Boston 1
Anaheim 10
Texas 3
Cincinnati 4
Pittsburgh 1
Chicago Cubs 2
Montreal 1
Colorado 11
St. Louis 2
NY Mets 7
Atlanta 1
Houston 8
Milwaukee 2
Los Angeles 7
Arizona 5
San Francisco 8
San Diego 2
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