Lucas Duda can potentially transform a lamb into a lion.
“If he continues to swing the bat good, the middle of our lineup is a whole different animal,” manager Terry Collins said Tuesday after watching Duda reach base five times in the Mets’ 8-3 victory over the Braves.
Duda finished 3-for-3 with two walks and has reached base in 14 of his last 15 games. Over that stretch he is 17-for-49 (.347) at the plate.
Duda was happy just to help on a night the Mets totaled a season-high 18 hits. His biggest contribution was an RBI double in the sixth inning that scored Daniel Murphy.
“With guys getting on base like that, they have to pitch to me or pitch around me, whatever it is,” Duda said. “Murph getting on base, [Curtis] Granderson, David [Wright], all that plays a role.”
Duda entered play batting only .200 at Citi Field, but now has at least one hit in eight of his last nine home games.
“With Lucas, the more confidence he gets, the hotter he is going to be, because when he starts getting hits to all fields, he’s a dangerous hitter, because he can hit anybody,” Collins said. “We saw that when he first got here.”
Dillon Gee is “anxious” as he awaits his Wednesday start against the Braves. The right-hander last pitched for the Mets on May 10, before going on the disabled list with a strained right lat.
“Physically I’m ready to go,” Gee said. “It’s been awhile, and I think when you love something so much and haven’t been able to do it, that’s all you think about.”
To clear roster space for Gee, the Mets optioned reliever Gonzalez Germen to Triple-A Las Vegas after the game.
Tuesday’s victory was the Mets’ 4,000th in franchise history. The team won No. 3,000 on Sept. 3, 2001.
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez was still upset over the replay reversal from a night earlier, when Eric Campbell was ruled safe at second base. Andrelton Simmons came off the bag on the force play, and it was ruled after Collins’ challenge that the “neighborhood” play — which can’t be reviewed — didn’t apply because Simmons had left the base in receiving the throw.
“It opens another can of worms,” said Gonzalez, who was ejected for arguing after the play was overturned.
Carlos Torres had swelling on his right hand, but wasn’t expected to need more than a day or two of recovery after absorbing a line drive Monday night. X-rays taken on the hand were negative.
Torres pitched two shutout innings in the Mets’ 4-3 victory.