up an exciting duel with Van

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NEW YORK -- Jacob deGrom took the mound with a disappointing record, but with the full backing of his manager. The rookie right-hander rewarded Terry Collins confidence with the strongest outing of his young career. DeGrom struck out 11 in seven shutout innings and also delivered a table-setting hit from the No. 8 spot in the batting order as the New York Mets tagged All-Star Julio Teheran and the Atlanta Braves 8-3 Tuesday night. "Showed you that he can certainly compete in this league," Collins praised. The shaggy-haired deGrom (2-5) pitched the Mets to their third win in a row, and the franchises 4,000th victory since starting out as an expansion team in 1962. Atlanta has lost three straight. The lanky 26-year-old scattered seven hits, walked none and matched a career best for strikeouts. "Feel I had my best start," deGrom said. "Controlling every pitch I needed to." DeGrom said he got most of his strikeouts on "elevated fastballs and sinkers," though he felt his most effective pitch was his curveball. "Knows what hes got to do to get a K when he needs it, and just goes out and does it," Collins said. The Mets set a team record at Citi Field with 18 hits. Curtis Granderson kept up his resurgence with a leadoff home run and Lucas Duda doubled twice, singled and drew two walks. Daniel Murphy also doubled twice and third baseman David Wright added two hits and made a nifty catch. DeGroms single led to a three-run burst in the second inning, and he exited as a 6-for-22 (.273) hitter in the majors, part of the reason Collins felt comfortable in tweaking his lineup. "Dont really care where I bat. More focused on the pitching," deGrom said. Said Collins: "Way too much made of the pitcher hitting eighth. Ill need to call La Russa and tell him he created a huge monster." Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa holds the record for most times batting his pitcher eighth in a season -- few other skippers have followed his lead since. Teheran (8-6) gave up a career-high 11 hits after shutting down the Mets in his previous outing, part of a Braves sweep last week. He lasted just 3 1-3 innings, matching the shortest of his 53 starts in the majors. "One of those nights that everybody has and today was mine," he said. "I feel like everything I threw, they got a good swing." Teheran was picked Sunday for his first NL All-Star team, but the 23-year-old righty was very hittable from the get-go. Collins noted before the game that the ball was flying during batting practice -- Granderson proved him correct, lining Teherans second pitch off the facade of the second deck in right field. "Its just one of those starts," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "The young man, hes bound to have a bad one every now and then. If you go out there 35 times, youre going to have a bad one, and today was one of his bad ones." Granderson, rebounding nicely from a slow start, hit his fourth home run in seven games. On Monday night, his tying homer in the eighth inning sent the Mets to an 11-inning win over Atlanta. The shot also gave the Mets a home run in eight straight games at Citi Field, matching a team record for the stadium that opened in 2009. The Mets led 5-0 in the third. Atlanta put runners at the corners with two outs in the sixth, but Wright made a diving, backhanded catch on Jason Heywards liner to end the inning. Three Mets relievers closed out the win. They did it while winds whipped debris all over the field as a storm blew into the ballpark. Freddie Freeman hit a two-out, two-run single in the ninth. NOTES: Granderson hit his third leadoff homer of the year and 27th of his career. Mets RHP Dillon Gee (strained right lat) comes off the disabled list to start Wednesday night against RHP Ervin Santana. ... Teheran is set to start Sunday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, meaning he wont pitch in the All-Star game Tuesday at Minnesota. ... Andrelton Simmons went hitless for Atlanta. He had six straight multihit games coming in. ... This was the sixth time -- all in the last month -- that Collins has batted his pitcher eighth. DeGrom was the first pitcher to get a hit in that slot. Collins hit Eric Young Jr. in the ninth spot, saying it created a double leadoff position. Eric Thames Jersey . Costa Rica followed up its wins over Uruguay and Italy by holding England to a dour 0-0 draw on Tuesday, enough to finish first in Group D. Orlando Arcia Jersey . Weise will have his hearing with the NHL head office over the phone, while the league has requested an in-person hearing with Kassian. Oilers centre Sam Gagner suffered a broken jaw after getting hit with a high stick from Kassian in Edmontons 5-2 win. http://www.baseballbrewersofficial.com/ ... rsey-c-14/. One game is checked off, 15 remain and the next one to get crossed out could come Tuesday night when the defending champion Heat host the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference playoff series. Stephen Vogt Jersey . -- Arizona came out of its last meeting with California a bit discombobulated, hurting from its first loss and the loss of forward Brandon Ashley for the rest of the season. Corey Knebel Jersey . Calgary finished atop the CFL standings with a 14-4 record and earned the right to host the West Division final at McMahon Stadium on Nov.Michael van Gerwen and Phil Taylor will continue their battle for top spot in the Premier League on night 14 in Manchester. The Dutchman moved above Taylor on leg difference after last weeks matches in Birmingham and the top two return to action on Thursday night, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7pm.All four play-off spots are yet to be decided and precious points are up for grabs as players attempt to secure a place at the season-ending night at The O2. James Wade v Peter Wright Peter Wright is still in the hunt for a top-four spot This is a win-or-bust encounter for both players, who desperately need a victory to keep alive their hopes of snatching a spot in the top four.Wade and Wright are both three points adrift of fourth-placed Lewis, but had differing fortunes in their matches last week. Peter Wright goes undefeated on week 13 of the Premier League Darts after a win over Phil Taylor and a draw against Gary Anderson An inspired Van Gerwen inflicted a 7-1 thumping on the shellshocked Wade, while Wright defeated Phil Taylor in his opening match before pinching the final leg to claim a draw in his closing match with Gary Anderson.Gary Anderson v Robert Thornton Gary Anderson will be expected to defeat fellow Scotsman Robert Thornton Anderson has all but assured his play-off place as only an unlikely sequence of results would see the reigning champion fail to qualify.But The Flying Scotsman will want to end the campaign on a high and starts as a hot favourite against his struggling countryman. Gary Anderson has a close Premier League Darts victory over Raymond van Barneveld Thornton suffered a 7-2 thrashing against Lewis last week, his 10th defeat of the competition, and has been hampered by a foot problem and a lack of form since the start.ddddddddddddMichael van Gerwen v Raymond van Barneveld Raymond van Barneveld defeated his Dutch rival at this years World Darts Championship Van Gerwen was at his ruthless best against Wade, hitting seven out of nine darts at a double, as he reinforced his status as the sports top player.In stark contrast, Van Barneveld looked crestfallen after a 7-5 loss to Anderson, which extinguished any faint hopes of a play-off place. Michael van Gerwen hits a bullseye check out to go 4-0 up against James Wade But Barney still relishes any showdown with his Dutch rival and the pair produced an entertaining draw on night nine.Adrian Lewis v Phil Taylor A win would keep Phil Taylor in touch with leader Van Gerwen Taylors surprise 7-4 defeat to Wright was a rare slip-up in a consistent season for the six-time winner and victory over Lewis would set-up an exciting duel with Van Gerwen.The Power will travel to Rotterdam next week for his meeting with Van Gerwen, the last match of the regular campaign, and would relish the chance to finish in first place.Lewis is still looking over his shoulder in fourth place, despite a three point cushion, and a win would guarantee his attendance at The O2.Watch all of this weeks Premier League matches on Thursday night from 7pm on Sky Sports 1. Or watch for £6.99 without a contract, on NOW TV. 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