PEN WRITES ANOTHER SAD STORY
Five-run eighth dooms Mets in loss to Braves
The Mets seemed to be running away with the game. And then they did the most Mets thing they could do. They blew a six-run lead that culminated with a total meltdown in the eighth inning, when the bullpen blew a four-run lead.
The Mets were defeated by the Braves 11-10 on Friday night at Truist Park in Atlanta in spectacular fashion. Then the bullpen unraveled, especially Dellin Betances and Seth Lugo, who got lit up by two ex-Mets, Adeiny Hechavarria and Travis d’Arnaud, in the eighth. Hechavarria singled off Betances and scored after Betances gave up a walk and a single. D’Arnaud later doubled off Lugo, which brought in three runs, putting the Braves ahead for good.
“We’re out there focused and going over hitters throughout the game,” Lugo said after the game over a video teleconference. “I think things will turn around because we’re not letting (bad pitches and losses) affect our morale out there. So, you know, I think we can bounce back fast.”
The last time the Mets blew a six-run lead was back in September, when they had a six-run lead going into the ninth inning against the Nationals. They also lost that game 11-10 and became the first team to lose a game after having a six-run advantage going into the ninth or later.
“First off, it’s a tough loss you know, we’ve had a few tough losses already,” new Mets manager Louis Rojas said after the game. “You don’t exactly get what you expect to get from those two guys.
The Mets have lost three in a row. Unlike the previous nights, when the Mets’ bats also couldn’t get hot enough to provide run support for their pitchers, the lineup found its mid-summer groove on Friday.
J.D. Davis hit a two-run homer in the fourth, his second of the season. An inning later, Robinson Cano went deep against Braves starter Sean Newcomb to put the Mets in front 3-2.
Later in the inning, after the Mets loaded the bases, Newcomb was replaced by Jhoulys Chacin, who allowed the Mets five more runs, two of which came on a double by Yoenis Cespedes.
The Mets finished the fifth inning with an 8-2 lead and went into the ninth up 10-6. But that wasn’t enough.