Welcome back to the second half of the season, folks! Mets opened up their series in Atlanta against the Braves, and everybody is really missing Dillon Gee. Mets pitchers implode in 7-5 loss.

The night the lights went out in Georgia… After an early sixteen minute power outage delay in Turner Field, the ballgame continued and already the Mets were down 2-0 in the first inning. After Chris Young gave up an RBI single to Heyward that knocked in Bourn who doubled, he walked three batters that allowed the second run to come in. Young then gave up a three-run homer to the Braves backup catcher, David Ross, that put the Mets down 5-0 early in the game.

That would be all for Chris Young as he gets yanked for a pinch hitter. Only three innings pitched, five runs, three walks and six hits surrendered by Young tonight, and half of them were extra-base hits. It’s the shortest outing and most runs allowed by Chris Young since June, 2009 when he was with the Padres.Young threw 71 pitches on the night, with half being in just the first inning. Chris gets his third loss of the season, and a 4.28 ERA.

Luckily, the Mets bats zapped back to life with a four spot in the top of the fourth inning. David Wright with his 28th double of the season, followed by a Duda walk and an RBI double from Hairston gives them one run back. A two-run single from Kirk Nieuwenhuis puts them within striking distance, and then Ruben Tejada puts the Mets on the Braves heel with a two-out, RBI single. Hakuna Tejada!

Miguel Batista came in for relief, and he gave up a double to the first batter to face him, the pitcher, Tim Hudson. After back-to-back ground outs, with help from a great play by Tejada, Batista walked Heyward on four pitches, and then got Chipper Jones to ground out to end the jam. In the next inning, Batista got one out, then walked three straight batters before finally being pulled. Everyone will be watching Matt Harvey’s Triple-A start on Monday.

Josh Edgin made his major league debut to bail out Batista. Strikes out both batters with impressive sliders to end the fifth and got the Mets out a bases-loaded jam. Edgin proceeded to do well in his debut as he got two outs in the sixth, including another strikeout, before running into Chipper Jones, who hits a homerun into center field. That is Larry’s 49th career homer off the Mets. Welcome to the team, Josh! Edgin is removed after a double by Freeman.

Ramon Ramirez is up next, pitching 1.1 innings with an RBI single in the sixth, then getting a one-two-three seventh inning. Tim Bydrak and Pedro Beato combine for an inning with two walks from Byrdak and one from Beato.

Ruben Tejada, David Wright, and Scott Hairston all had two hits tonight. Wright with a double, a run, two K’s and a .353 batting average. Tejada with an RBI, a strikeout, and a .327 batting average. Hairston with a double, a run, an RBI, 2 K’s, and five men left on base. “He stinks!”

Ike Davis and Lucas Duda both had two walks each. Duda had two strikeouts, while Ike had one hit. Ike is keeping his head above water with a .203 batting average.

Josh Thole and Daniel Murphy combine for nine men left on base. Murphy with an 0-fer, Thole with a single, and a strikeout.

Notes

Mets had bases loaded, nobody out in the fifth inning. Hairston K’d, Kirk K’d, Thole flies out. Terrible job.

Mets pitching combined for 11 walks, that’s a season high.

Nieuwenhuis now has 87 Ks in 87 games. Mets record is 161 by Wright in ’10. Kirk is looking to lose playing time, so he won’t get there.

Andres Torres is back after not playing for a week with back woes. 1-for-2 tonight, with an RBI and a strikeout.

Chipper Jones has 1,594 career RBIs, which is third most in MLB by a third baseman. I have a feeling Wright will destroy that.

Game Ball

Josh Edgin, for being the only pitcher that didn’t walk anyone.

Up Next

Dickey starts his second half as the Mets continue to play the Braves, who have Tommy Hanson on the mound. Game time set for 4:05 PM on FOX.