Robert Gsellman helps carry Mets to extra innings win in ATL

METS 5, BRAVES 3 - 12 Innings 

Maybe Matt Harvey can take a page out of Robert Gsellman's book if he wants to learn how to handle a demotion with professionalism.

Gsellman was once a member of the Mets starting rotation, until a series of poor starts put the 24-year old in the bullpen. When camp opened up this year, manager Mickey Callaway told Gsellman that he would best serve the team as a reliever. Instead of complaining, he grabbed the bull by the horns and ran with it.

In 10.1 innings this year, Gsellman owns a 2.61 ERA, and has struck out 15 batters while walking only four. He has become the Mets most reliable reliever next to another former starter in Seth Lugo.

On Friday night, the Mets turned to Lugo and Gsellman to get them through a tough night in Atlanta, where Noah Syndergaard did not have his best stuff on the mound.

Lugo gave the Mets two shutout innings in the seventh and eighth innings, helped out by a two fantastic throws by catcher Tomas Nido that threw out two runners.

Come the tenth inning it was Gsvllman's turn. He struck out Ryan Flaherty, jammed Charlie Culberson into a slow ground out to second, and got Edwin Inciarte to roll one over to first base for out number three. Three outs on 10 pitches.

An inning later, while the Mets offense remained mired in a collective slump, Gsellman did it again. He retired Ozzie Albies on a ground out to first, struck out Freddie Freeman swinging on a nasty high slider, and, after giving up a walk to Nick Markakis and a single by Kurt Suzuki, Gsellman struck out Preston Tucker on four pitches to get out of the jam.

But, Gsellman was not done. In order to save the bench, Mickey Callaway had Gsellman hit to lead off the 12th inning, and it turned into a winning decision. Gsellman was hit by a pitch on 1-1, and scored from second on a seeing-eye single by Yoenis Cespedes to give the Mets a 4-3 lead. Talk about taking one for the team. Gsellman took that to a new level - a winning level for the Mets on Friday night.

As for Cespedes, his knack for coming up big in the clutch continued. He was 0-for-4 with four strikeouts before the game winning hit. He would score on Asdrubal Cabrera's double off the right field wall that Markakis misplayed to give the Mets a 5-3 lead.

Once Jeurys Familia cleaned things up in the bottom half of the 12th inning to lock up his eighth save of the year, the Mets were once again in the victory circle. And they can thank one man: Robert Gsellman -- the starting pitcher, who was willing and able to try something different.