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          New York Mets

          Ghosts of Turner Field? Phooey! Mets top Braves in opener

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterSep 10, 2016, 02:54 AM
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              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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          ATLANTA -- Turner Field isn't what it used to be. Or the Tim Tebow effect is in full force.

          Pinch hitter Kelly Johnson produced a tiebreaking RBI double in what became a four-run eighth, and the New York Mets rallied for a 6-4 victory against the Atlanta Braves in Friday's series opener.

          The Mets (75-66) won their sixth consecutive game and moved a season-high-matching nine games over .500. They also maintained a lead over the St. Louis Cardinals for a National League wild card spot.

          The Mets have won 15 of their past 19 games.

          “We’re playing good baseball,” Johnson said. “I think it started with the pitching. We’ve had some guys step in and pick us up. ... And when that happens, as long as we’re healthy, the lineup is too good to sit still. Plus, guys have been hot at the right time.”

          The Mets improved to 66-105 all time at Turner Field, a one-time house of horrors for the organization. The Braves are moving to Cobb County next season, with their current ballpark slated to become the football home of Georgia State University. This is the Mets' final series at the ballpark, which debuted as an MLB venue in 1997 after hosting the Olympics.

          Bidding for his fourth straight scoreless start against the Mets, Julio Teheran escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first inning when he coaxed an inning-ending, double-play grounder from Wilmer Flores. That began a streak in which Teheran retired 15 of 16 batters.

          Curtis Granderson halted Teheran's scoreless streak against the Mets at 29 innings and pulled New York to within 4-2 with a two-run homer in the sixth inning. Granderson has homered in a career-high four consecutive games.

          The Mets loaded the bases with none out in the eighth and Yoenis Cespedes delivered a sacrifice fly to pull New York to within a run. Granderson followed with an RBI single to even the score. Johnson added a pinch-hit RBI double. Michael Conforto was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in another run.

          The Mets are now 8-6 against the Braves this season. That's acceptable, but one reason why the Mets are in the wild-card hunt as opposed to the division race. The Washington Nationals, by contrast, are 14-2 against Atlanta in 2016.

          With Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz sidelined, the Mets have received capable production from rookies Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman as well as Rafael Montero. In fact, the Mets now have a 7-2 record in starts by that trio.

          Gsellman nonetheless finally got tripped up Friday. He surrendered a leadoff homer to Matt Kemp in the second, and a two-run single to Nick Markakis in a three-run fifth as the Braves built a 4-0 lead. In all, Gsellman was charged with four runs, seven hits and two walks in five innings as his ERA climbed to 3.92.

          There does not seem any imminence to Gsellman's getting dislodged from the rotation. DeGrom (forearm) began throwing on flat ground Friday at Turner Field. Matz (shoulder) is due to finally step on a mound Saturday in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

          “I thought his breaking ball was not as sharp as it was the last couple of times, but he’s not going to be great every night,” manager Terry Collins said about Gsellman. “He got us through five. We’ll get him ready for his next one.”