Fried, 2 relievers work 8 2/3 hitless innings before Martinez HR spoils bid as Braves beat Mets 4-1

NEW YORK (AP) — Atlanta’s Max Fried and two relievers combined for a hitless game through 8 2/3 innings before New York’s JD Martinez spoiled the bid as the Braves beat the Mets 4-1 on Saturday.

“It’s something pretty special and something a pitching staff can be proud of, especially when it’s combined,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I was hoping the guys could pull it off. It’s hard.”

Fried led off with seven hitless innings and Joe Jiménez walked two times in the eighth before Raisel Iglesias retired the first two batters in the ninth. Martinez homered just over the wall in right field on the next pitch past Iglesias.

“Giving up with a homer is better than an infield single,” Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud said with a smile.

Center fielder Michael Harris II, who earlier preserved the gem by drifting back and catching a long fly ball from Martinez against the wall in the seventh, said he hoped the ball could stay in the air long enough to that right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. can make the ball. catch.

“(In) that space at right center, there’s a little opening where maybe he had a chance to stay or Ronnie could have gone up and brought him in or something,” Harris said. “But he did pretty well. Oh man, yeah, he did it. He did his thing.

D’Arnaud said Jiménez told him he didn’t know the Braves were working on a no-hitter. Neither does Iglesias.

“I came back to the clubhouse and they asked me if I knew this was happening,” Iglesias said through an interpreter. “And the reality is I didn’t.”

Iglesias walked Jeff McNeil and allowed an infield single to Harrison Bader before striking out Brett Baty on a fly to center.

Hits from Martinez and Bader helped the Mets avoid going hitless for the eighth time in franchise history.

“We didn’t want to go hitless,” Martinez said. “But in this situation, in this moment, I don’t know – I just think about my plan and my game and what I’m trying to do at-bat and off Iglesias. We can’t let ourselves involved in all this.

The Braves haven’t thrown a no-hitter since Kent Mercer’s gem against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 8, 1994. That hitless drought is the fourth-longest in the majors.

“It was almost Max Fried, Joe Jimenez and my guy ‘Iggy,’” Harris said.

Saturday’s combined effort marked the fourth time since 2015 that the Braves lost without a hit in the ninth.

“It’s a really difficult task and a difficult feat,” Fried said. “I thought it was a really good overall team effort. The defense was obviously excellent.

The Braves have the second-most wins and second-lowest ERA in baseball since 1994, a period in which Hall of Famers Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz pitched for the team.

“With all the Hall of Famers and the guys with electric stuff, it’s not easy,” said Snitker, who said he’s never witnessed a no-hitter.

Fried — born Jan. 18, 1994, 80 days before Mercer’s no-hitter — walked three and struck out five while throwing 109 pitches, one short of his career high. The left-hander retired the first eight batters he faced before issuing consecutive walks to Tomas Nido and Brandon Nimmo. He then scored 11 straight before walking Pete Alonso with one out in the seventh, after which Martinez flew out to Harris.

“Frankly, I wasn’t very good with my command at all,” Fried said. “I was just trying to keep us in the game as long as possible.”

Orlando Arcia hit a two-run homer and Harris had three hits, including an RBI single for Atlanta.

Rookie right-hander Christian Scott (0-1), making his first home start for the Mets, allowed three runs and struck out eight in six-plus solid innings.

TRAINERS ROOM

Braves: C Sean Murphy (left slant) feels good, but is not ready to face live pitches. Murphy was injured in the season opener on March 29.

Mets: OF Brandon Nimmo (right intercostal irritation) left after the fourth inning. Nimmo was visited by a trainer during a second inning at bat and showed off his right side before taking a practice swing. … LHP Brooks Raley (left elbow inflammation) is scheduled to visit Dr. Keith Meister on Tuesday. The Mets expected Raley to miss the minimum amount of time when he was placed on the injured list on April 21, but he continued to experience elbow discomfort. Raley said all options, including surgery, were on the table before the visit. … Manager Carlos Mendoza said RHP Kodai Senga (right shoulder) is struggling with his mechanics and may need a few more sessions before the Mets begin planning for his rehab appearances.