Megill sharp in rookie finale against Braves

METS 4 BRAVES 3

ATLANTA — Tylor Megill’s respectable rookie season received a proper sendoff Friday night.

In his final 2021 start, the righthander fired five shutout innings, allowing just one hit, in the Mets’ 4-3 victory over the Braves at Truist Park. A June addition to the rotation, when the Mets were in desperate need of arms, Megill finished with a 4.52 ERA in 18 starts.

“You get to do it one time as a rookie, so on to the next one,” Megill said. “Now, it’s just time to work and get better.”

Brandon Nimmo homered twice to lead the Mets’ offensive attack. Pete Alonso delivered an RBI double and James McCann had a runscoring single.

A night after clinching their fourth straight NL East title, the Braves didn’t awaken until the sixth inning, scoring a run against Jeurys Familia. In the seventh, Eddie Rosario homered against Heath Hembree. In the eighth, Ehire Adrianza homered off Trevor May to slice the Mets’ lead to 4-3. May gave up a single to Austin Riley and double to Rosario, but escaped the inning, leaving runners on second and third.

Edwin Diaz recorded the final three outs for his 32nd save in 28 chances this season.

Alonso is among the few Mets who falls into the “slam dunk” category for a return next season.

But as he prepares to conclude a third straight season without a playoff appearance since arriving in the major leagues, Alonso is willing to accept a measure of responsibility for the team’s 2021 shortcomings.

“There’s a lot of questions that need to be answered, and for me personally I want to be able to get the team over the edge,” Alonso said before the game. “I want to be one of those cornerstone guys that’s on the field dog-piling and champagne showering at Citi Field.”

Alonso, who entered play with a team-leading 37 home runs, cited his defense, baserunning and plate discipline as areas in which he would like to improve.

“Defensively, I feel like I have gotten better,” he said. “I still need to get better at it even though I feel I have had a significantly better year. Running the bases, I feel I have gotten better, striking out less, I feel I have gotten better. Putting the ball in play hard more consistently has gotten better, but it’s not enough right now.”

Robert Gsellman traveled with the team as part of the taxi squad and could be activated for a cameo before the weekend concludes. The right-hander has been sidelined since June with a torn right lat.