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. 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. Vegas Golden Knights Store . -- Deshorn Brown scored twice, the first coming 13 seconds into the game, and the Colorado Rapids beat the undermanned Seattle Sounders 5-1 Saturday night. Vegas Golden Knights Shirts . Dwyane Wade took over in the fourth quarter. https://www.cheapgoldenknights.com/ .com) - Nate Buss 3-pointer with 5. Golden Knights Jerseys 2021 .The Hamilton Tiger-Cat defensive back always has the required receipt. But he also walks around with a tangle of metal screws, rods and plates after breaking his neck in 2006 playing high school football in Louisiana. Stitched Golden Knights Jerseys . - Houston defensive end J.CHICAGO - Derrick Rose said everything he wanted to say about his health on the court.Rose had 24 points and seven assists in his return to the lineup, and the balanced Chicago Bulls beat the Detroit Pistons 102-91 on Monday night.In the first half, I thought he set the tone for us, coach Tom Thibodeau said. And certainly the way he finished was great.Rose was 9 for 20 from the field in a season-high 32 minutes after being sidelined by sprained ankles. The 2011 NBA MVP had missed four of the previous five games after he was injured in a 114-108 overtime loss to Cleveland on Oct. 31.Rose departed before the media was allowed in the locker room, leaving his teammates to discuss his best performance of the young season.He was confident out there and he was just playing his style of basketball, which was good for us because hes so fast and hes getting out in transition, getting guys layups and dunks, said Jimmy Butler, who finished with 19 points. Then hes stepping up and making big shots. Its always a plus to have him on your team.Pau Gasol had 17 points and 15 rebounds for Chicago, and Joakim Noah finished with 13 points, 14 boards and six assists. The Bulls outrebounded the Pistons 49-46 after they had lost the battle on the glass in the previous six games, rankling the hard-nosed Thibodeau.Josh Smith had 19 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit, which was coming off a 97-96 home loss to Utah on Sunday. Greg Monroe had 16 points and 10 boards, and reserve D.J. Augustin scored 16.The second half was a positive for us by and large, Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. But when you give away the first half and then play better, but still come up short, I cant accept it. You have to play to win.Pistons centre Andre Drummond, who began the game in a jersey that had his name misspelled on the back, grabbed 12 rebounds, but was 0 for 5 from the field and finished with two points.The Pistons trailed by as many as 19, but Kyle Singler had a layup and Augustin made a long jumper to trim Chicagos lead too 90-88 with 2:43 remaining.ddddddddddddGasol responded with a clutch jumper and Smith missed a 3-pointer on the other end for Detroit. Rose then came down and found Butler for a 3, making it 95-88 with 1:56 left.Rose also hit a key jumper and two foul shots to help the Bulls hold on down the stretch.Detroit dropped the opener of a four-game trip to fall to 0-3 on the road this season. Brandon Jennings had 11 points and eight assists, but also committed four turnovers.Its the little things we have to get better at, Monroe said. We have to pay attention to details defensively.Rose had his best play of the night in the final seconds of the first half, when he faked a cross-court pass in midair, and then fired underneath to Noah for a layup. The flashy move was reminiscent of Roses MVP season and helped the Bulls to a 60-44 lead at the break.___FOR STARTERSThibodeau used a starting lineup of Rose and Butler in the backcourt, Gasol and Mike Dunleavy at forward and Noah at centre for the first time this season.It was great to have everyone, Gasol said. A full roster available and healthy. I hope we can keep it that way.TIP-INSPistons: Augustin played almost 21 minutes in his first game in Chicago since he signed a free-agent deal with the Pistons in July. Augustin averaged 14.9 points in 61 games with the Bulls after he was cut by Toronto last December. He saved us last year, Thibodeau said. He had an incredible year. ... F Cartier Martin is out with a mild plantar fascia strain in his right foot. He has yet to play this season. Hes been cleared medically for a couple of weeks, so, you know, whenever he can handle the pain, hell be back playing, Van Gundy said. And I dont know when or if thats going to happen.Bulls: Reserve F Tony Snell did not play on his 23rd birthday. ... The Bulls have won 16 of their last 17 home games against the Pistons.UP NEXTPistons: At Washington on Wednesday.Bulls: At Toronto on Thursday.___Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap ' ' '