GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: NL: ATLANTA (60-54) at NY METS (64-49)

Chipper's bat, Harris' glove leads Braves past Mets

<h3>ATLANTA 7, NY METS 6</h3>FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Braves are not goingaway in the National League East race. In case the New York Metsforgot, long-time nemesis Chipper Jones gave them anot-so-subtle reminder.


Jones hit a mammoth three-run home run as part of back-to-backblasts with Mark Teixeira in the fifth inning and Tim Hudson wonhis seventh straight decision as the Braves held on for a 7-6victory over the Mets in the rubber game of their three-gameseries on Thursday.


The Braves (61-54) bounced back after squandering a late two-runlead on Wednesday night to win for the seventh time in 10 gamesand move within 3 1/2 games of the first place Mets (64-50) forthe division lead.


While Jones was the offensive star, left fielder Willie Harris -a converted infielder - was the defensive star.


After David Wright hit a two-run homer with one out in the ninthto pull the Mets within 7-6, Harris took away a potentialgame-tying homer off the bat of Carlos Delgado by making aleaping catch at the left field wall.


Atlanta improved to 11-2 in games started by Hudson following aBraves defeat. The righthander was not at his best, but pitchedsix effective innings and benefited from a four-run fifth off Metsstarter John Maine.


Hudson reached on a broken-bat single to open the fifth andHarris walked before Kelly Johnson grounded into a fielder'schoice. Jones followed with a 470-foot home run off thescoreboard in right-center field.


Jones has 19 homers this season and belted the 38th of hiscareer against the Mets, tying him with San Francisco's BarryBonds for the most among active players, one ahead of PatBurrell of Philadelphia.


In 83 career games at Shea Stadium, Jones has 19 homers and 53RBI.


Teixeira followed with his fourth homer for the Braves sincebeing acquired at the trade deadline, increasing Atlanta's leadto 5-2.


Hudson (13-5), who has not lost since June 4, allowed three runsand nine hits in six innings.


Ron Mahay and Peter Moylan each pitched a scoreless inningbefore former Met Tyler Yates nearly squandered a 7-3 lead inthe ninth. Yates gave up three runs, including Wright's 20thhomer of the season.


With closer Bob Wickman unavailable, Braves manager Bobby Coxwent to Oscar Villarreal, who benefited from Harris' huge playbefore he got Moises Alou to ground out to third, securing hisfirst career save.


Mets manager Willie Randolph shuffled his rotation to have Maine(12-7) start against the Braves, but the righthander wasineffective for the second straight start, allowing six runs andseven hits in 5 1/3 innings. Maine was tagged for six runsover 2 2/3 innings last Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

Hudson drove in a run with a squeeze bunt in the sixth and theBraves scored a run in the seventh when Jeff Francouer groundedinto a double play.


One of the few bright spots for the Mets was Wright, who hadbeen 1-for-30 in his last eight games against the Braves beforecollecting an RBI single in the first.


Alou had an RBI single in the third.


Atlanta plated a run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by AndruwJones.


<div class="pre">Delgado had an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth to cut the</div>deficit to 5-3. New York had a chance to get even closer, butRamon Castro popped out to shortstop with two outs and the basesloaded.


Mets center fielder Marlon Anderson left the game in the bottomof the fourth inning with a sprained left wrist.

 

Chipper's bat, Harris' glove leads Braves past Mets

<h3>ATLANTA 7, NY METS 6</h3>FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The Atlanta Braves are not goingaway in the National League East race. In case the New York Metsforgot, long-time nemesis Chipper Jones gave them anot-so-subtle reminder.


Jones hit a mammoth three-run home run as part of back-to-backblasts with Mark Teixeira in the fifth inning and Tim Hudson wonhis seventh straight decision as the Braves held on for a 7-6victory over the Mets in the rubber game of their three-gameseries on Thursday.


"Chipper hit one of the longest home runs I've ever seen in thisballpark," Braves manager Bobby Cox said.


The Braves (61-54) bounced back after squandering a late two-runlead on Wednesday night to win for the seventh time in 10 gamesand move within 3 1/2 games of the first place Mets (64-50) forthe division lead.


While Jones was the offensive star, left fielder Willie Harris -a converted infielder - was the defensive star.


After David Wright hit a two-run homer with one out in the ninthto pull the Mets within 7-6, Harris took away a potentialgame-tying homer off the bat of Carlos Delgado by making aleaping catch at the left field wall.


"I was already back there because we were trying to avoid thedouble," Harris said. "I thought it was a regular fly ball. Ithought I could get back and make the play."


Atlanta improved to 11-2 in games started by Hudson following aBraves defeat. The righthander was not at his best, but pitchedsix effective innings and benefited from a four-run fifth offMets starter John Maine.


Hudson reached on a broken-bat single to open the fifth andHarris walked before Kelly Johnson grounded into a fielder'schoice. Jones followed with a 470-foot home run off thescoreboard in right-center field.


Jones has 19 homers this season and belted the 38th of hiscareer against the Mets, tying him with San Francisco's BarryBonds for the most among active players, one ahead of PatBurrell of Philadelphia.


In 83 career games at Shea Stadium, Jones has 19 homers and 53RBI.


"I don't think it has anything to do with the Mets," Cox said."He just likes to play ball."


Teixeira followed with his fourth homer for the Braves sincebeing acquired at the trade deadline, increasing Atlanta's leadto 5-2.


Hudson (13-5), who has not lost since June 4, allowed three runsand nine hits in six innings.


"It was a grind-it out-type of game," Hudson said, "I didn'thave my best stuff. It was a bend but not break type of game."

Ron Mahay and Peter Moylan each pitched a scoreless inningbefore former Met Tyler Yates nearly squandered a 7-3 lead inthe ninth. Yates gave up three runs, including Wright's 20thhomer of the season.


With closer Bob Wickman unavailable due to forearm stiffness,Braves manager Bobby Cox went to Oscar Villarreal, who benefitedfrom Harris' huge play before he got Moises Alou to ground outto third, securing his first career save.


"When I threw the pitch I thought it was a line drive to theleft fielder," Villarreal said. "I just saw Willie run."

Mets manager Willie Randolph shuffled his rotation to have Maine(12-7) start against the Braves, but the righthander wasineffective for the second straight start, allowing six runs andseven hits in 5 1/3 innings. Maine was tagged for six runsover 2 2/3 innings last Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

"He'll be fine. He's been one of our best pitchers all year,"Randolph said. "He'll bounce back."


Hudson drove in a run with a squeeze bunt in the sixth and theBraves scored a run in the seventh when Jeff Francouer groundedinto a double play.


One of the few bright spots for the Mets was Wright, who hadbeen 1-for-30 in his last eight games against the Braves beforecollecting an RBI single in the first.


"They out played us, They have our number said Wright," notingthat the Mets have lost eight of 12 games to the Braves. "We haveto prove we can beat these guys."


Alou had an RBI single in the third.


Atlanta plated a run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by AndruwJones.


<div class="pre">Delgado had an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth to cut the</div>deficit to 5-3. New York had a chance to get even closer, butRamon Castro popped out to shortstop with two outs and the basesloaded.


Mets center fielder Marlon Anderson left the game in the bottomof the fourth inning with a sprained left wrist.