Braves win 1-run game, split with Mets

New York — Braves Nation’s long nightmare is over. Part of it anyway.

They rallied for three runs in the eighth inning during a 3-2 win against the New York Mets in the opener of a doubleheader Saturday at Shea Stadium, snapping a major-league record of 29 consecutive losses in one-run road games.

The Mets, after losing behind ace Johan Santana in the opener, salvaged a split with a 5-0 victory in the nightcap, when Braves starter Jo-Jo Reyes (3-12) allowed four runs and two homers in two innings that set the tone.

“Did it ever,” said Braves manager Bobby Cox, whose patience is being tested by the young left-hander who’s 0-7 with a 6.58 ERA in his past 12 starts. “That’s a rough outing, to get hit that hard.”

In the opener, Mike Hampton worked out of jams, and the Braves got a rare bases-loaded hit from Jeff Francoeur in the three-run eighth inning. Casey Kotchman added three hits as the Braves stopped a 13-month stretch of road futility.

“I didn’t have a clue about it,” Hampton said of the streak, which ended at the same stadium where the Braves last won a one-run road game, on Aug. 9, 2007. “I was just trying to pitch. Those were definitely some big outs.”

He was referring to two double-play grounders in the fourth and sixth innings, both times when the Mets had the bases loaded with none out.

“Huge win,” second baseman Kelly Johnson said after the opener. “Can’t say enough about Hampton getting two double plays with the bases loaded.”

After Hampton limited the Mets to six hits and two runs in six innings, reliever Jeff Ridgway (1-0) got his first major-league win and Mike Gonzalez notched his 10th save with a perfect ninth inning.

The Braves lost their last seven one-run road games in 2007 and all 22 this season before Saturday, when they ended the streak against a division rival while playing a spoiler role that some Braves say is driving them.

“Our playoff is now,” Cox had said Friday.

His Braves were mired in a 4-17 free-fall before winning seven of the past 11.

While the Braves ended their mind-boggling one-run road skid, Santana remained winless against the Braves, the only one of 28 teams he has faced and not beaten.

Santana pitched seven-plus innings without a runner reaching third base, but got no decision. He’s 0-3 with a 2.76 ERA in five starts against the Braves.

The Braves scored three runs soon after he left. He was charged with nine hits and two runs, both of those on Francoeur’s bases-loaded single against reliever Brian Stokes. Francoeur had been 4-for-31 with the bases loaded.

Brian McCann and Yunel Escobar had consecutive singles against Santana to begin the eighth inning, and Mets manager Jerry Manuel brought in lefty Scott Schoeneweis. Casey Kotchman greeted him with a single through the left side to load the bases for Francoeur, and Manuel brought in right-hander Brian Stokes.

After Francoeur’s hit, Josh Anderson advanced two runners with a sacrifice. Greg Norton was intentionally walked, and Omar Infante’s sacrifice fly put Atlanta ahead 3-2.

Just like that, Santana’s work was nullified. He’s 6-0 with a 2.33 ERA in his past 14 starts, and the Mets had won in his past seven.

The Mets have won 21 of 29 games and swept a three-game series against the Braves last month at Shea, including a pair of one-run wins. New York took control in the nightcap with three runs in the first inning, including a two-run homer by David Wright that traveled an estimated 430 feet.

Jose Reyes added a two-out homer in the second inning off Jo-Jo Reyes, who has an 8.85 ERA in his past five road starts.

Asked about being pulled after two innings, Reyes said, “I wasn’t getting the job done. Skipper’s decision. We want to win, and I didn’t get the job done.”

Mets 21-year-old lefty Jon Niese (1-0) pitched eight scoreless innings to win his second major-league start, after allowing five runs in three innings in his Sept. 2 debut at Milwaukee.