Niese Injects Mets Witn Needed Boost

METS 5

BRAVES 0

Jonathan Niese has been praised as the Mets top pitching prospect in their minor league system over the last year, and tonight the lefty showed New York exactly why the Mets organization has praised him with so much hype.

Niese, who looks like a skinny college kid, not your typical muscular major league pitcher, overpowered the Atlanta Braves for eight shutout innings. He threw 116 pitches in the effort, and after popping out Kelly Johnson to end the eighth, it appeared that Niese still had enough in the tank to complete the effort. Still, eight innings was enough. Niese struck out seven Braves, walked two and surrendered only seven hits. Excellent job by a kid making only his second major league start.

Offensively, the Mets brought out the thunder; something they did not do in game one. In the first, with Ryan Church on, David Wright blasted a two run shot to the right of the apple in center field to give New York a 2-0 lead. It was Wright's 29th homer of the year. He is one homerun away from tying a career high.

Carlos Beltran singled to left and later stole third. Fernando Tatis drove in Beltran with a shot to center, handing the Mets a 3-0 lead.

Jose Reyes, who was popping balls up throughout game one, finally got into one, launching a solo shot into the bleachers to give the Mets a 4-0 lead.

Beltran closed out the scoring in the seventh with a solo blast of his own, this one landing in the visitor's bullpen in left.

The Mets re-extend their lead over the Phillies to 2.5 games in the NL East. The Mets look to win the rubber game tomorrow afternoon at 1:00. Oliver Perez will make the start for New York.