Dan Uggla led off against Johan Santana in the top of the second inning last night, facing him for the 24th time in his career. He drew a five-pitch walk, later scoring as part of the Braves’ seven-run inning.
It was just one part of another horrible performance by Santana in the Mets’ 9-3 loss in Citi Field.
Uggla said afterward Santana’s velocity and movement were both fine, but his problem was with location.
“In my at-bat, he just didn’t hit his spots,” he said. “Same action on his fastball and his change-up. To me, it just looks like he’s just not hitting his spots right now.”
Santana has faced the Braves three times this season, and each outing has gotten worse. On Opening Day at Citi Field, Santana shut out Atlanta on two hits in five innings. But 12 days later on April 17 in Atlanta, the Braves racked up six runs (four earned) in 1 1/3 innings against him. Then came last night, as they pounded Santana for eight runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Over his last four starts, Santana has gone 0-4 with a staggering 17.36 ERA.
“He had trouble with his change-up tonight early,” Chipper Jones said. “He really didn’t have command of the outside corner to righties with his fastball or his change-up.”
Jones actually had two of the most interesting at-bats of the night against his fellow star. In the first inning, Michael Bourn and Reed Johnson singled off Santana, but the Mets left-hander whiffed Jason Heyward on a slider. Then he blew away Jones on a 90-mph fastball, an encouraging development.
“That particular at-bat, I was sitting change-up,” Jones said, “and he didn’t execute the change-up.”
Seven of the next nine Braves would reach base, however, and Jones capped it with one out in the second inning, smacking an RBI single to right — that was Santana’s final batter of the game.
Bourn, who hit singles in both at-bats off Santana, said the veteran seems fine.
“I didn’t see anything way different from him [compared with a few seasons ago],” Bourn said. “He threw a no-hitter this year.”