Rain postpones Mets-Braves game in Atlanta

ATLANTA -- For Braves manager Brian Snitker, who had an eye on his bullpen, a rainout felt like a win.

Of course, Mets manager Terry Collins had a different viewpoint.

New York's game at Atlanta on Thursday night was postponed by rain. The final game of the four-game series was called following a delay of 1 hour, 59 minutes with two outs in the top of the fourth. The Mets led 3-1, thanks to a two-run homer by Jay Bruce.

No makeup date was immediately announced.

Collins didn't seem to agree with the decision to call the game.

"I have too much respect for the people in Atlanta to say much," Collins said.

Snitker's biggest concern after using five relievers in Wednesday night's 16-5 loss to the Mets was how to survive another big drain on his bullpen if the game had resumed.

Braves starter Jaime Garcia was still in the game in the fourth but wouldn't have come out after the long delay.

"It kind of gives the bullpen a day to breathe," Snitker said. "We've got three more days before the next off day. Obviously you want to play them and you want to win them, but we wouldn't have even gotten four innings out of the starter today because the bullpen would have had to come in after the rain delay. All those guys who pitched last night would have had to go again."

It is the second time this season rain has postponed a game between the NL East rivals. Atlanta's scheduled game at New York on April 25 was rained out and rescheduled as part of a single-admission doubleheader on Sept. 25 at 4:10 p.m.

Asdrubal Cabrera walked to start the fourth. Bruce followed with a drive to the "Chop House" restaurant in right field. A fan standing in front of the restaurant caught the homer with his right hand while holding a drink with his left hand.

Bruce had a two-homer game that included a grand slam in the Braves' 9-7 win on Tuesday night.

The postponement wiped out all the stats from the game, including Bruce's homer and the start by Zack Wheeler.

The Braves' only run off Wheeler came on back-to-back doubles by Brandon Phillips and Freddie Freeman in the third.

Afternoon rain forced both teams to cancel regular batting practice as a tarp covered the infield. The tarp was removed about 90 minutes before the scheduled start of the game. More rain came in the third inning and picked up in the fourth.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mets: Collins said he was concerned that C Travis d'Arnaud was "still pretty sore" two days after he left Tuesday night's game with a sore right wrist. Collins said d'Arnaud has some swelling in the wrist and was expected to see a doctor Thursday night.

Braves: RHP Daniel Winkler (right elbow fracture) was transferred from the 10-day to the 60-day DL to open a roster spot for LHP Sam Freeman, who was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett.

RAINY HOMECOMING

Wheeler, who was born near Atlanta and still makes his offseason home in Georgia, said his parents and brother attended the game. The 2-hour rain delay wasn't the best way to spend the night, but he said "It was good to see everybody."

ROSTER MOVE

With Freeman's call-up, right-hander Matt Wisler was optioned to Gwinnett. Freeman, 29, had a 0.87 ERA in 10 1/3 innings at Gwinnett.

Freeman has appeared in 142 games in the majors over five seasons with St. Louis, Texas and Milwaukee.

Wisler allowed three runs in 1 1/3 innings in Wednesday night's 16-5 loss to the Mets, leaving his ERA at 12.60. He was 7-13 with a 5.00 ERA in 27 games, including 26 starts, in 2016.

UP NEXT

Mets: RHP Rafael Montero (0-2, 9.45 ERA) will take injured RHP Noah Syndergaard's spot in the rotation for Friday night's opener of a home series against Miami.

Braves: RHP Mike Foltynewicz (0-3, 2.81 ERA) will try again for his first win when the Braves open a weekend series against St. Louis. Foltynewicz won his only previous start against the Cardinals, allowing one run in six innings on Aug. 7, 2016.

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