Watch: Braves third baseman pulls off fantastic rarely seen double play
The New York Mets entered play Tuesday having lost 16 of their last 20 games, and much of the damage has been self-inflicted thanks to a woefully ineffective bullpen and an offense that had only produced 12 runs over the last eight games.
But sometimes, you have to tip your cap to your opponent. And Tuesday night in Atlanta, the Mets could only marvel at a defensive gem turned in by Atlanta third baseman Johan Camargo that erased a potential scoring threat.
JOHAN CAMARGO: THE NEXT AVENGER.
The @Braves third baseman flashes his superhuman skills to start a rare 5️⃣-3️⃣ double play. #Braves | #ChopOn pic.twitter.com/rJYFOWAkdp
— Bally Sports: Braves (@BravesOnBally) June 13, 2018
Trailing the Braves 2-1 in the top of the sixth, the Mets had runners on second and third with one out and catcher Devin Mesoraco at the plate.
Morasco smashed a 3-2 pitch toward third base. Camargo went to his knees to make a backhanded grab.
Because his momentum was carrying him toward third, he was able to lunge and tag Asdrubal Cabrera as he was trying to get back to third.
Getting the runner at third would have been a great play in and of itself. But Camargo was able to turn and make a strong throw to first from his knees.
With the slow-footed Mesoraco making his way down the line, Camargo’s throw was there in plenty of time to record the unusual but timely 5-3 double play.
“That’s not how you draw it up, but that’s just a great baseball instinctive play,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said, according to MLB.com. “That was big at that time of the game, because momentum had shifted to them really quick with the double.”
That play not only ended a great scoring chance for the Mets, it signaled a major momentum shift in the game.
In the bottom of the sixth, Atlanta tallied six runs thanks to a grand slam by Ozzie Albies and a solo shot by MVP candidate Freddie Freeman.
The Braves added a solo run in the seventh and cruised to an 8-2 victory. The win, combined with the Washington Nationals’ loss to the New York Yankees, gave the Braves a one-game lead in the National League East.
For Albies, it was his 16th home run and second grand slam of the season. It was his second straight game with a home run, as he tries to battle out of a slump that has seen him just .181 over his past 19 games.
“I felt much better,” Albies said. “I just had to slow the game down again.”
The Mets weren’t feeling much better on Wednesday, as they followed up Tuesday’s loss by being shutout 2-0 by the Braves in an afternoon game.
Having lost nine of 12 against Atlanta this season and nine of their last 10 overall, the Mets have fallen to fourth place, eight games out of first in the NL East.
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