One rook good, one rook bad as Mets tumble in 10th
The Mets continue to receive indications they may have something in Corey Oswalt, but other rookie pitchers are far from showing they can potentially help the club.
Tyler Bashlor was thrust into a key spot Sunday and folded. The righty reliever threw a “get it over” fastball in the hitting zone that Nick Markakis crushed for a go-ahead homer in the 10th inning, sending the Mets to a 5-4 loss to the Braves at Citi Field. The 25-year-old Bashlor, who has struggled in six appearances since arriving to the big leagues on June 25, is among a handful of h a rd - throwing young relievers the Mets would like to evaluate heading to next season, joining a list that includes fellow rookies B obby Wa h l and Drew Smith. But there will be growing pa ins such as the one experienced by Bashlor on Sunday. “I fell behind and tried to make a good pitch and got hurt,” Bashlor said of his 2-0 fastball to Markakis.
Manager Mickey Callaway called it a learning experience for Bashlor, who was promoted directly from Double-A Binghamton.
“He fell behind a real good hitter in Markakis and he backed off his fastball a bit just to throw a strike,” Callaway said.
“You can do that in Tri- ple-A, but you can’t do it here. He probably learned a lesson, and any time these guys are learning a lesson like that to make them better, then we are going to be better off in the future for it.”
Devin Mesoraco had resurrected the Mets with a homer against A.J. Minter in the ninth that tied it 4-4. Mesoraco initially thought he had a double, but an umpires’ rev i ew dete r - mined the ball hit a panel behind the left-field fence and returned into play. The homer was Mesoraco’s ninth of the season.
Seth Lugo placed the Mets in a 4-3 hole in the top of the inning when Ronald Acuna Jr., stroked an RBI single against the right-hander. Lugo pitched 1 ²/₃ innings in relief and allowed the one run.
Oswa l t wa s cruising until the seventh, when he allowed a two-run homer to Ender Inciarte that tied it 3-3.
“Th e y h ave a re a l ly good lineup, but the team doesn’t really change me as a pitcher,” Oswalt said. “I just go out there and attack whatever team is out there and try to keep the game close.”
Overall, the right-hander gave the Mets a fourth straight solid start, allowing three earned runs on eight hits over six-plus innings. In his last f ive starts, the rookie has pitched to a 3.81 ERA, filling in for Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. Oswalt’s latest assignment came after Matz was placed on the disabled list Friday with a flexor pronator strain.
“[Oswalt] has great tempo out there, he gets ahead,” Callaway said. “I really like the way his breaking ball has come around after his last couple of starts, and he continues to go out there and keep us in the game.”
Braves starter Julio Teheran surprised Oswalt by lofting a shot into the left-field seats in the fifth that sliced the Mets’ lead to 3-1. The homer was Teheran’s first of the season.
Austin Jackson’s second homer since joining the Mets, a solo blast in the fourth against Teheran, extended the Mets’ lead to 3-0.
Jeff McNeil continued his impressive hitting with an RBI double in the third that gave the Mets their second run. It came a day after McNeil’s 4-for-4 performance against the Braves. Amed Rosario drew his second walk of the game, leading off the third, before McNeil delivered.
Rosario walked in the first inning and stole second before Wilmer Flores delivered an RBI single. McNeil had a key at-bat in the inning with a grounder to the right side that advanced Rosario to third with nobody out. mpuma@nypost.com