Brian Snitker Friday postgame press conference

Braves manager Brian Snitker talked with the media after Atlanta's 1-0 loss in New York

The Braves lost a tough 1-0 game Friday to start the 2020 season.

The game was a pitcher's duel for six-plus innings. It wasn't until the bottom of the seventh, when Yoenis Cespedes tagged Atlanta reliever Chris Martin for a solo home run to provide the only run of the game. 

Mike Soroka and Jacob deGrom battled in an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel. Soroka pitched six scoreless innings and allowed only four hits, with no walks and three strikeouts. deGrom pitched five scoreless frames and allowed just one hit, with one walk and eight strikeouts.

Soroka was pulled after six innings, despite throwing only 69 pitches. But after the extended delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, managers are not going to over extend their starting pitchers this early in this season.

The Braves blew two chances late in the game. In the seventh, Marcell Ozuna had a one-out double. He then moved to third on a passed ball, but Ozuna was stranded at third when Matt Adams and Austin Riley struck out.

Dansby Swanson singled to lead off the eighth inning before Adam Duvall then struck out. Johan Camargo moved Swanson over to second base on a ground out. But with the tying-run in scoring position Ronald Acuña Jr. struck out to end the inning.

Mets closer Edwin Díaz then survived a one-out walk to Freddie Freeman in the ninth inning by striking out Ozuna and Adams to end the game.

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