ATLANTA — The opening act for a National League wild-card spot might have booed the Mets off on a Broadway stage, but it was greeted with raptures at Truist Park.
Was it a lack of energy on the part of the Mets, or was the home team's pitching staff just superior?
Perhaps it was a combination of both.
The boring game came to an end midway through the game, and the Mets' lineup failed to show much excitement on Tuesday, losing 5-1 to the Braves.
Atlanta is now one game behind the Mets for the final wild-card spot, while Arizona is a half-game ahead of the Mets for second place and is set to face San Francisco later that day.
The math still holds true: The Mets need to win this series to qualify.
But with the weather threatening to be bad over the next two days, no one is sure if those games will be played before the Mets head to Milwaukee this weekend.
David Peterson is scheduled to face National League Cy Young Award front-runner Chris Sale on Wednesday, but rain is expected to be a threat and a tropical storm could hit the area on Thursday.
The Mets managed just four hits on the night against Spencer Schwellenbach and the Braves relief staff, and he never seemed to get into the game after Atlanta got past Luis Severino.
Severino pitched his shortest start of the season, pitching just four innings and allowing four earned runs on seven hits, one walk and five strikeouts.
It was the first time Severino allowed three or more earned runs as a starter since Aug. 28 against Arizona.
A short hit by leadoff batter Orlando Arcia and a throwing error by Severino gave the Braves a 3-0 lead to start the inning.
Michael Harris II doubled to score the first run, then Ozzie Albies singled to add another run.
Instead of hitting the cutoff ball on this play, Starling Marte threw the ball home, allowing Albies to advance to second base.
Severino recorded an out, but walked Marcell Ozuna and allowed an RBI single to Ramon Laureano with two outs.
Harris hit a solo home run off Severino in the fourth inning to extend the Braves' lead to 4–0.
The home run was the fourth Severino has allowed in his last three starts.
Marcell Ozuna hit a home run off Ryne Stanek in the fifth inning to put the Mets behind 5-0.
Ozuna's home run was his 39th of the season and gave him 102 RBI.
The Mets' best offense came in the third inning against Schwellenbach.
Jose Iglesias singled with two outs, extending his hitting streak to 17, and Brandon Nimmo reached base on an error by Arcia, but the crisis was averted when Marte was later out.
Mark Vientos hit a home run in the seventh inning to end Schwellenbach's hopes of a shutout.
Vientos hit the ball to the right and it went just over the right field fence, cutting the score to 5-1.
The hit was the Mets' third of the game.
