NEW YORK – Julio Teheran got the decision Wednesday, but Braves shortstop supreme Andrelton Simmons won the game.
Simmons made an extraordinary play to end the eighth inning and prevent the tying run from scoring in a 3-2 Braves win against the Mets at Citi Field.
With a runner at third base and two out and Jordan Walden pitching, Travis d’Arnaud hit a sharp ground ball that first looked like it would get through the hole between third baseman Phil Gosselin and Simmons.
But Simmons raced back and not only got to the ball, he backhanded it, leaped into the air and made a stunningly strong, one-bounce throw that first baseman Freddie Freeman scooped for the third out.
“That’s Andrelton being Andrelton,” Freeman said. “That’s why he’s the best in the game.”
Simmons was 5-6 steps into the outfield, with his momentum carrying him away from the base, when he threw.
“Every time you think he’s made, like, the best play ever, he comes up with something far greater,” Braves reliever David Carpenter said. “To say you appreciate it is an understatement. I was joking with somebody, I said (Derek) Jeter would have clapped on that one.”
Said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, “Teheran should take (Simmons) out to dinner, because he saved him the win. And also Walden.”
Teheran (13-9) gave up three hits, one run and two walks in 6 1/3 innings and was in the clubhouse getting ice on his shoulder and watching on TV when Simmons made his game-saving play. The pitcher said he screamed “because I never thought he was going to make that play.”
“He’s unbelievable,” Teheran said. “Always making plays for us. Every time you don’t think he’s going to make the play, that’s when he makes it.”
The play by Simmons, which initially looked impossible, ended up being not even close enough for the Mets to challenge.
“I said I’d like to go out and challenge it, but I knew he was out,” Mets manager Terry Collins said. “All I’d do was delay the game.”
It was among the finest plays made by Simmons, who already has a seemingly countless highlight-reel moments in his three seasons in the majors and last year won both a Gold Glove as the National League’s top defensive shortstop and Platinum Glove as the league’s top defender at any position.
“I don’t know, I haven’t seen it yet (on replay),” Simmons said when asked where it ranked in his inventory of splendid plays, “but I’m just glad I helped. I’m just glad I helped keep the lead right there…. I’m just trying to win. Right now we just need to win ballgames.”
The Braves snapped a three-game skid and gained a game on first-place Washington, which still leads the NL East by 6 1/2 games with 29 to play. Atlanta was a game behind San Francisco for the second wild-card spot pending the outcome of the Giants’ late game.
Even after Simmons’ play for the ages, the Braves had another heart-in-the-throats inning in the ninth after closer Craig Kimbrel gave up a single and walk to start the inning. After a sacrifice bunt advanced both runners, Kimbrel got Ruben Tejada to hit a soft grounder to third baseman Phil Gosselin, who threw to the plate for the second out.
Kimbrel got Kirk Nieuwenhuis to pop out for the final out to record his 39th save in 43 attempts.
The Braves led 3-1 before the Mets began the eighth against Walden with a single, a wild pitch, a walk and an RBI single by Juan Lagares. Lucas Duda then grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
That was huge for the Braves, but the Mets and their faithful still thought they had a good chance to tie the game when d’Arnaud hit his grounder to the left side and seemingly headed toward left field, where the Braves’ Justin Upton was running in, prepared to field it.
Mets All-Star second baseman Daniel Murphy out of the lineup with a strained calf and watching from the bench, said, “I didn’t think (Simmons) had a prayer.”
Simmons entered the picture, and moments later owned the night.
“Best play I’ve ever seen him make,” Freeman said. “Certainly in that situation, it also makes it that much better. It was pretty incredible. I didn’t think he was going to be able to get to it, and the next thing you know he gets to it and puts the throw right on the money. It was something special to watch.”
What was Simmons thinking as he raced back toward the ball beyond the back edge of the infield?
“Hopefully Goose (Gosselin) catches it,” Simmons said, laughing. “And when it went by I was like, I know I’m going to get to it, it’s just, how am I going to get it over (to first base). And it was the fastest way I thought I could, right there.”
Simmons said he thought about trying to take a couple of extra steps to get in front of the ball, and also thought about making a sliding, pop-up stop so he could plant and throw. Ultimately, he went with the backhanded play and the jump-and-throw, which was Jeter-esque, but with more velocity on the throw to first even as his momentum took Simmons in the other direction.
“I just went with it (backhand play). Let the ball dictate right there,” Simmons said. “I was really happy. I was real excited. Big situation, big game. I felt like, I’m glad I contributed. I’m glad I could help, and Kimbrel came in and shut it out.”
A few Braves pitchers have had difficulty this season shutting down opponents immediately after being staked to a lead. Teheran showed how it’s done.
After the Braves scored two runs in the top of the third to take the lead, Teheran allowed only one walk over the next four innings.
When he gave up a one-out single and a walk in the seventh inning, Carpenter retired Wilmer Flores on a pop-up and Ruben Tejada on a ground out to Simmons to end the inning and preserve the 3-1 lead.
Flores had a game-tying homer in the second inning, after Braves leadoff man Jason Heyward homered off Zack Wheeler (9-9) to start the game.
Wheeler, a Paulding County native, lost for the first time in 11 starts despite allowing only four hits and three runs (two earned) in seven innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts.
Teheran was charged with three hits, one run and two walks with four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings, and improved to 3-0 with a 1.42 ERA in his past three starts.
Flores’ homer off Teheran was the seventh he allowed in his past six road starts, but he flipped the switch to ace mode after that, even as he was battling some fatigue in his legs and didn’t appear to be as fluid as usual in his delivery.
Teheran retired 14 of the next 15 batters, allowing only a Flores walk in the fifth inning.
Eric Campbell’s one-out single in the seventh was just the third hit off Teheran, who was replaced after walking the next batter, Matt den Dekker. He had thrown 101 pitches and Gonzalez preferred to have Carpenter face Flores the third time through after some long at-bats and balls hit hard against Teheran.
Carpenter got the Braves through the seventh inning, and then Walden got a huge assist from Simmons to get them through the eighth.
“I could see the whole play happen,” Heyward said of his perspective from right field of The Play by Simmons. “I could see the runner coming down and everything. And then watch Free pick it. (For Simmons) to get to the ball, obviously, is one thing, and to jump, turn and throw is one thing.
“But for him to put the ball in the area where Free can pick it and we can get the runner out, that’s an unbelievable play.”
