Atlanta – A bad odor lingers, stinging like the Mets’ recent performances.
The Mets faced off against the Braves at Trust Park in a three-game series, struggling to build on their previous efforts against the Rays. Their troubles hit a new low on Thursday with a 7-1 loss, marking their sixth consecutive defeat.
Now they’re headed to Philadelphia to take on Zach Wheeler. The Phillies have been on a roll, winning five out of six games and now share the top spot in the division with the Mets.
While the Mets’ offense is faltering, it’s their pitching that’s raising more eyebrows.
Clay Holmes struggled during his outing, failing to follow up on a shaky start from Paul Blackburn. Manager Carlos Mendoza opted to pull Justin Hagenman after two innings, adjusting plans for Friday’s game against the Phillies.
Despite a lineup that managed just one run over the last 22 innings against the Braves, they couldn’t seem to shake off the bad momentum.
The Braves, sitting five games below .500, still hold a glimmer of hope. Especially with a four-game series against the Mets looming next week at Citifield.
During the game, Holmes had trouble in the fifth inning, allowing a walk to Drake Baldwin after an eight-pitch at-bat, giving the Braves a 2-1 edge.
Holmes threw 104 pitches and fellow pitcher Huascar Brazoban also struggled, issuing a four-pitch walk to Ozzie Albies. Holmes ended up allowing three runs on four hits and six walks in just four innings, with his ERA climbing to 3.04. This marks his second straight start where he failed to last six innings.
On a brighter note, Ronny Mauricio managed to hit an RBI single against Strider, which finally broke a 15-inning scoring drought for the Mets.
Tyrone Taylor also made a nice play, stealing second before Mauricio came through with two outs. This was a much-needed hit, considering Mauricio had been struggling lately with a batting average of just .136 over his previous seven games.
