Maholm tosses shutout as Braves top Mets
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Paul Maholm fired his fourth career shutout Friday as the Atlanta Braves blanked the New York Mets, 4-0, in the opener of a three-game set at Citi Field.
Maholm (10-7), who was acquired from the Chicago Cubs before the non-waiver trade deadline, allowed just three hits and struck out five without walking a batter to earn his first victory as a Brave.
"Obviously it's pretty good to get off to a good start with a new team," remarked Maholm. "To get a complete game in my first win is a lot of fun."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jason Heyward and Dan Uggla each clubbed two-run home runs for Atlanta, which won for the fourth time in their last five games.
Matt Harvey (1-3) pitched well in defeat, giving up just two runs on two hits. But he did walk five and absorbed the loss for the Mets, who have dropped their last six meetings with Atlanta.
"He's got all the talent he needs to compete up here," said Mets manager Terry Collins of Harvey. "All he has to do is make pitches."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Braves wasted little time getting on the board in the first as Michael Bourn worked a leadoff walk before Heyward followed with a blast into the Atlanta bullpen in right-center field to give the Braves a 2-0 lead.
Daniel Murphy's single in the second inning was New York's only hit of the game before Rob Johnson's one-out double in the sixth. Johnson moved to third on pinch-hitter Justin Turner's groundout, but was stranded 90 feet away when Andres Torres grounded out to end the sixth.
The Mets got a two-out double from Scott Hairston in the seventh, but Maholm retired the final seven Mets he faced to complete the shutout.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Uggla crushed a fastball into the left-field bleachers in the eighth to plate Freddie Freeman and account for the final margin.
Game Notes
Heyward's homer was his 19th of the season, which marks a career high...Maholm's last shutout came on May 28, 2011 against the Cubs as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates...Braves third baseman Chipper Jones was scratched due to back tightness...Atlanta catcher Brian McCann missed his second straight game with a sore right shoulder...New York second baseman Ruben Tejada went 0-for-4, snapping his 14-game hit-streak.