Mets Battle Back But Fall 9-6 To Braves

The Mets (67-39) and Braves (64-43) played game two of their five-game series Friday evening at Citi Field. Things started off badly for the Mets when starter Taijuan Walker was charged with eight runs in the first two innings. The team battled back in the fifth inning, cutting the Braves’ lead to 8-5. However, the Braves’ bullpen held the Mets to one run through the final four innings, and the Mets lost 9-6.

It was not Walker’s night. With one on and one out in the first inning, Walker caught a spike pitching to Matt Olson and seemed to tweak his right hip. That caught spike was the beginning of the end for Walker. He gave up a Matt Olson double and an Eddie Rosario three-run homer in the first inning, putting the Mets in a 4-0 hole.

Walker came back out to start the second inning, but things did not get any better for him. He gave up a leadoff homer to Michael Harris II and a run-scoring single to Dansby Swanson, giving the Braves a 6-0 lead. After an Olson single, Walker departed the game with two men on and no one out.

Trevor Williams came on in relief and allowed both inherited runners to score, one on a fielder’s choice and one on a double. Williams then got two outs to end the inning, but the damage was done. The Braves had an 8-0 lead, with all runs charged to Walker.

The Mets had their chances to get back into the game in the first three innings, as Braves’ starter Ian Anderson was not even close to dominant. Pete Alonso was robbed of what might have been a two-run homer by Acuña in the bottom of the first inning. A two-out single by Brandon Nimmo in the bottom of the second gave the Mets their first run. They might have scored more, but Joey Cora made the ill-advised decision to send Luis Guillorme home from second on Nimmo’s single, and Guillorme was thrown out at the plate.

Luckily for New York, Williams kept them in the game after relieving Walker. He did not allow another run to score after the second inning, and even pitched the first one-two-three inning of the night for either side in the top of the fourth inning.

The Mets were able to start a comeback in the bottom of the fifth inning. With men on first and third and two outs, Jeff McNeil singled home Francisco Lindor. McNeil’s single also chased Anderson from the game. Darin Ruf then pinch hit for Tyler Naquin and doubled in his first at-bat as a Met. Two runs scored, and the Bravess lead was cut to 8-4. Eduardo Escobar then pinch-hit for Guillorme. He singled to left, driving in Ruf, making it 8-5 Braves.

Joely Rodriguez pitched the top of the sixth inning for the Mets, giving up one hit in a scoreless inning of work.

New York got the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning. Mark Canha pinch-hit for Daniel Vogelbach with two men on and two outs. Unfortunately, Canha struck out looking and the score remained 8-5 Braves.

New Met Mychal Givens pitched a scoreless seventh inning. He walked the leadoff batter on four pitches but was bailed out by his defense, including a nice double play started by Escobar.

After the Mets went down one-two-three in the bottom of the seventh, Tommy Hunter came on to pitch the top of the eighth. He gave up a leadoff single to Ronald Acuña Jr., but then retired the next three hitters in order. Hunter stayed in the game for the top of the ninth. He retired the first two hitters, but then gave up a solo homer to William Contreras. The homer was the first run given up by a Mets’ pitcher since the second inning and gave the Braves a 9-5 lead.

McNeil got one run back for the Mets’ in the bottom of the ninth, hitting a two-out homer. Unfortunately, that was all the Mets could muster in the final four innings of this 9-6 loss.

Player of the Game: Darin Ruf

Ruf did exactly what was expected of him in his first plate appearance as a New York Met. He entered the game in the fifth inning as a pinch hitter against a lefty, and was exactly as advertised. His double drove in two runs, and he then scored from second on the next single, at the time putting Mets firmly back into the game.

On Deck

The Mets and Braves will play a doubleheader Saturday as they continue their series at Citi Field. Game one starts at 1:10 p.m., while game two is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Max Scherzer and David Peterson will be starting for the Mets, while Max Fried and Jake Odorizzi will be starting for the Braves. Neither team has announced yet which stater gets which game.