Teheran rattled, but not hurt, avoiding liner
Braves righty loses focus after single by Duda, but says his knee is fine
ATLANTA -- Braves right-hander Julio Teheran's bid for a one-hit shutout evaporated when Mets first baseman Lucas Duda began the seventh inning Saturday night with a line-drive comebacker that could have produced a much more dire consequence.
Teheran lost his mental focus after landing awkwardly while avoiding Duda's liner. But as the Braves' ace walked away from this 5-3 win over the Mets, he eased the concerns of many by confirming he was not feeling any discomfort in his right knee.
"I felt a little pinch in my knee, but after that I didn't feel anything," Teheran said.
The Mets had produced just the hit and two walks before Duda opened the seventh with his consequential single. Recognizing that Teheran had landed awkwardly, Braves assistant trainer Jim Lovell came to the mound and intently watched as the 24-year-old hurler tested his knee with a few warmup pitches.
While Teheran was physically fine, he was admittedly shaken as he walked both of the next two batters -- Michael Cuddyer and Daniel Murphy -- and then ended his evening by hitting Travis d'Arnaud in the back with the bases loaded. Before d'Arnaud was plunked, third baseman Alberto Callaspo botched a potential double-play grounder off Juan Lagares' bat and ended up not recording an out.
"It was just in my mind a little bit and I was a little scared," Teheran said. "But other than that, I felt good. I was trying to make pitches to get out of that inning. The guys in the bullpen got my back again."
Video: NYM@ATL: Teheran fans five over six-plus vs. Mets
Once Teheran exited with the bases loaded and none out, Brandon Cunniff added to the splendor of his first week in the Majors by inducing a Wilmer Flores double-play groundout. Left-handed reliever Luis Avilan then ended the frame by getting Ruben Tejada to ground out.
Teheran ended up allowing three runs -- one earned -- and two hits while issuing four walks over six-plus innings. The line was not necessarily indicative of his performance. After surrendering a Duda double during a shaky first inning, he entered the seventh inning having retired 15 of the previous 17 hitters he had faced.
"I really had [my knee] on my mind for that moment, so my mind changed a little bit," Teheran said. "I wasn't making the pitches like I was in the sixth inning before. But I don't feel anything. That is the most important thing."