The New York Mets were defeated by the Atlanta Braves on Monday night by a score of 12-3 (Box Score).

Despite finishing his night off strong, Zack Wheeler struggled overall allowing five runs (four earned) with only four strikeouts in six innings, while the defense was shoddy as usual behind him.

The Mets bullpen woes continued as Jeurys Familia and Drew Gagnon combined to allow seven runs in relief, which ultimately blew the game open.

The Mets have now lost four of their last five games, which has dropped them to eight-and-a-half back in the division and four games under .500. Tonight’s loss was just the beginning of a brutal 11-game road trip, with two more left to be played in Atlanta, then four-and-four against the Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies to wrap things up.

This tough stretch is without a doubt the make or break point in the season for the amazins’ and unfortunately it did not get off to the most convincing start.

Pitching

As previously mentioned, Wheeler did not have his best start in a pivotal game against the division leading Braves. Wheeler surrendered 10 hits in six innings and gave up four runs, which saw his ERA rise to 4.94.

The Braves offense got to Wheeler early as Ronald Acuna Jr. smacked a solo home run (17) to lead things off in the bottom of the first. Freddie Freeman and Josh Donaldson would then hit back-to-back one out singles to bring up Nick Markakis.

First basemen Pete Alonso made his first of several blunders in the field tonight as Freeman came around to score the second run on an error. Luckily, Wheeler was able to limit the damage by inducing an Austin Riley double play groundout to end the frame.

Despite a poor first inning, Wheeler bounced back over the next three to toss scoreless frames. Unfortunately the right-hander ran into trouble yet again in the fifth, which would ruin his night.

Wheeler started the inning off by walking the lead off batter in Dansby Swanson and then allowed Freeman to single putting two on with nobody out. The 29-year-old didn’t do himself any favors by allowing both runners to advance to second and third on a wild pitch.

After coming back to get Donaldson to fly out, Markakis singled to left field to plate Swanson making the score 4-2. The Braves bats weren’t finished there as Ozzie Albies drove in Freeman for the fifth run on a single to center field, which extended the lead to 5-2.

In the bottom of the sixth, Wheeler was pushed to go through another inning throwing 110 total pitches. Although he allowed a leadoff single to Acuna, Ramos picked off the runner at first base. Wheeler then finished his night off strong by striking out back-to-back batters to end the inning.

It was the same old story for the Met bullpen tonight, as the struggling Jeurys Familia came on in relief to start the seventh inning. While Donaldson flew out to center to start the frame, Markakis reached base again on a single, then Familia walked Riley and Brian McCann to load the bases.

This led Mickey Callaway to pull Familia in favor of right-hander Drew Gagnon. The reliever immediately allowed a two-run single to Albies to make the score 7-3. Alonso oddly cut off Conforto’s relay throw to the plate, which seemingly would have gunned the second runner down.

Next, pinch hitter Matt Joyce singled to reload the bases for Acuna. Acuna was at it again as he drove in the game’s eighth run on an infield single that was knocked down by a diving stop by Todd Frazier. The Braves tacked on another run before the inning ended on a Freeman bases loaded walk to extend the lead to 9-3.

Familia was charged with three runs in the inning to increase his ERA to an abysmal 7.81. Gagnon stayed on to pitch the eighth inning, as well and allowed three more runs on back-to-back shots by McCann and Albies (fourth RBI of the night) to make the score 12-3 in favor of the Braves. Brooks Pounders relieved Gagnon to record the final out striking out Swanson.

Offense

It was a rather quiet night for the Mets offense as they were only able to scratch across three runs on seven hits. Braves young starter Mike Soroka picked up his eighth win of the season going six innings, while only allowing three runs on six hits striking out two.

Pete Alonso drove in the first run of the game in the top of the third on a single to left field. This saw Amed Rosario come around to score cutting the Braves lead to 2-1.

Wheeler evened the game up in the fifth inning 2-2 by singling to center bringing home Rosario, who scored both of his team’s runs up to this point.

After the Braves scored three runs in the fifth off of Wheeler, Robinson Cano would get one back for his team in the top of the sixth with a solo home run to center field (4), which cut the deficit to 5-3.

The Mets last attempt at making a comeback was shot down in the top of the seventh with two runners on. Jeff McNeil stepped to the dish, but grounded out to first base to end the threat.

Following this scoring chance, the bullpen combined to surrender seven runs to put the game to bed, as the Mets were battered on the first game on this road trip.

On Deck

The Mets will send Jacob deGrom (3-6, 3.38) to the mound tomorrow in game two of the series. He will face Julio Teheran (5-4, 2.94) as New York will try to even up the series. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:20 PM ET.