ATLANTA -- For Ervin Santana, throwing strike after strike was even better than a no-hitter -- especially when his impressive co

ATLANTA -- For Ervin Santana, throwing strike after strike was even better than a no-hitter -- especially when his impressive command came in his Atlanta debut. Glenn Anderson Jersey . Santana allowed only three hits over eight scoreless innings, Jason Heyward homered and drove in two runs and the Braves held off the New York Mets 4-3 on Wednesday night. Santanas first 20 pitches were strikes. He threw only one ball in his first three innings. "That one was close," he said with a smile before adding "Thats all right." Santana threw a no-hitter with the Angels in 2011. "This is better than a no-hitter," he said. "When you throw strikes all the time, that means youre in control of the game." Mets manager Terry Collins said he could name only one pitcher who threw so many consecutive strikes. "(Roy) Halladays about the only guy Ive seen," Collins said. "We chased some balls out of the zone early, which helped (Santana) a little bit." The Braves bullpen almost blew a 4-0 lead in the ninth. Jordan Walden walked Eric Young Jr. and gave up a one-out single to David Wright. Craig Kimbrel walked Curtis Granderson to load the bases before striking out Lucas Duda. Juan Lagares drove in two runs with a single, and Travis dArnaud added a run-scoring single before Kimbrel fanned Ruben Tejada for his fourth save. "Im more frustrated for giving up somebody elses runs and making it close," Kimbrel said. Santana (1-0) was sharp from the start, throwing 28 strikes in his first 29 pitches. He finished with six strikeouts and no walks. He said he didnt expect to have such strong command. "Honestly, no. In the bullpen I was all over the place," Santana said. "I just stepped over the line and focused and threw strikes." Santana signed a $14.1 million, one-year contract with Atlanta after the Braves lost starters Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy to season-ending elbow injuries last month. He pitched like he belongs near the top of the rotation as he threw only 88 pitches, 65 for strikes. Zack Wheeler (0-2) allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings for the Mets. Heyward took a 0-for-22 slump into the game and was hitting only .107, with three hits in 28 at-bats. He doubled his hits total with the homer and two singles in his first three at-bats. Heyward led off the first inning with an 11-pitch at-bat against Wheeler before pulling a 3-2 fastball over the wall in right-centre for his second homer. "Its a tough way to start the game, going that deep into the count and him hitting a home run, but it was a good at-bat for him," Wheeler said. "He just came out on top on that one." The Braves added three runs off Wheeler in the fifth. Evan Gattis doubled and scored on Heywards single to right field. Santana, who slapped a single to right for his fifth career hit, and Heyward scored on Freddie Freemans single. Each team had defensive highlights early in the game. In the first inning, Lagares raced back to make a leaping catch of Freemans drive at the wall, his cleat leaving a rip in the cushion. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons showed his Gold Glove form in the second. The shortstop went to his right to field a grounder by dArnaud before slipping, hopping up to one knee and throwing out dArnaud at first base, with Freeman stretching for the throw. An excited Santana pumped his fist, shouted and pointed at Simmons. Santana celebrated with another fist-pump after Heyward, sprinting toward the right-centre gap, ended the sixth by catching Wrights drive before falling on the warning track. NOTES: Braves LHP Luis Avilan, who left Tuesday nights game with a hamstring cramp, had no problems throwing in the bullpen before Wednesdays game and said hell be careful to remain hydrated in cooler weather. ... CF Jordan Schafer was 0-for-3 in his first start of the season. Manager Fredi Gonzalez said B.J. Upton, hitting .138, will be back in the lineup on Thursday. ... Braves LHP Mike Minor (sore shoulder) and RHP Gavin Floyd (elbow surgery) are scheduled for their next rehab appearances on Sunday. ... RHP Pedro Beato was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett to clear a roster spot for Santana. ... Braves RHP David Hale will face Mets RHP Jenry Mejia in the final game of the series on Thursday night. Vladislav Namestnikov Rangers Jersey . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. Eddie Giacomin Rangers Jersey .S.-Portugal game on June 22 in the Amazonian jungle city of Manaus. FIFPro, the international soccer players union, had pressed FIFA to avoid the earliest kickoffs in the hottest and most humid weather. http://www.rangershockeyonlineshop.com/brady-skjei-hockey-jersey/ . Seriously. Seven years of losing has brought many different faces, players and management, to the annual pre-season get-to-know-the-team round up. BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Marcus Foligno looked up at the video board and was moved as the Buffalo Sabres said farewell to two of their most popular players. Jhonas Enroth made 36 saves as the Sabres beat the San Jose Sharks 4-2 on Friday night, a few hours after they traded goalie Ryan Miller and captain Steve Ott. "Im not going to lie. It was pretty emotional watching the tribute," Foligno said. "That was pretty nice what they did during the game, and those are two players that were hugely respected here in the city and respected Buffalo as well." Miller was set to start his 541st career game for the Sabres, but was pulled from the lineup just over an hour before the puck was dropped. The deal made Ted Nolan push Enroth into the starting lineup. "I was sitting in the back, joking around with the trainers about all these trade rumours and I told them hopefully it doesnt happen on game day, especially against the Sharks," Enroth quipped. "Three minutes after, Coach Nolan came up to me and told me I was starting, so I kind of jinxed myself there. "After that, I was a bit more nervous than usual but I told myself I had nothing to lose." Enroth played well and the Sabres got goals from Cody Hodgson, Brian Flynn, Matt Moulson and Tyler Myers. It was Enroths second consecutive win after he snapped a 0-10-4 slump with a 5-4 overtime win against Boston on Wednesday, which was his first home win since April. With the trade of Miller, Buffalo was forced to reach into their new hockey academy staff for a backup goaltender. HarborCenter director of technology Ryan Vinz was Buffalos No. 2 goaltender after being a video co-ordinator at Clarkson University. James Sheppard and Patrick Marleau scored for San Jose. With the trade, Buffalo general manager Tim Murray struck his first major deal since being hired in January, acquiring goalie Jaroslav Halak, forward Chris Stewart, prospect William Carrier, a 2015 first-round pick and a conditional 2016 third-round pick. Murray later explained that the pick in 2016 could turn into a first-round pick in this years draft if the Blues reach the Western Conference finals or Miller re-signs with St. Louis before the draft. The win gave Buffalo three straight wins for the first time since last April, and Myers said the milestone carries significance. "It feels good,&" he said. Mark Messier Jersey. "We knew what position we were in going into this game, and we really wanted it. Hearing the news before the game we wanted it that much more." The Sabres opened the scoring on a power-play goal 10:59 into the first period, as Antti Niemi couldnt hold on to Hodgsons wrist shot. It was Hodgsons 15th goal and his first since Jan. 28. Enroth made a glove save of Matt Irwins slap shot through traffic with under seven minutes to play to keep Buffalo ahead. He made another strong glove save 7:22 into the second period when Marleau was left uncovered in the slot. "It was kind of late notice," Enroth said of getting the word he was starting, "but I just told myself to relax, go out there and compete." Moments after Enroth stopped Marleau, Myers beat Niemi off a rush up the right side, but his shot clanked off the cross bar. After another pair of saves, Enroth was beaten when Sheppard forced a puck between the goaltenders legs after a shot rebounded off the end boards. The Sharks finished the second period with a 31-13 advantage in shots on goal. "We knew theyd be ready," Sharks centre Joe Pavelski said. "We had our chances to score early and we didnt, fell behind, climbed back and just didnt turn the corner like we needed to." Buffalo restored its lead 4:33 into the third when Zemgus Girgensons won a faceoff back to Flynn, whose wrist shot beat Niemi. The Sabres doubled their advantage four minutes later when Myers jumped into the play from the right point to feed Moulson in the slot, who scored over Niemis shoulder. Marleau brought the Sharks within one with a one-timer with 1:15 left in regulation. Joe Thornton picked up his 50th assist of the season on the goal. "They played hard," Thornton said of the Sabres. "Obviously, Im sure a lot of feelings over there with two teammates. its a tough business, but they played well tonight." Myers added an empty-net goal with 21 seconds left to give him a goal and two assists on the night. "Tyler Myers is really starting to come into his own," Nolan said. "I thought he was sensational tonight." NOTES: Tyler Ennis missed his second straight game for Buffalo with "undisclosed soreness" ... San Jose LW Raffi Torres was scratched after scoring two goals in his season debut Thursday ' ' '