Mets Lost to Braves 4-3 Due To Poor Defense In Bottom Of Ninth

Mets RHP Jacob deGrom (Photo Credits to Dale Zanine-USA Today Sports) The New York Mets lost to the Atlanta Braves 4-3 tonight in Atlanta to lose two out of three games in the series and dropped their record to 41-36. RHP Jacob deGrom got off to a diffcult start in the bottom of the first after he gave up a lead-off triple to RF Ehire Adrianza and then two batters later, an RBI single to 2B Ozzie Albies. deGrom then gave up a two-run homer to the following hitter 3B Austin Riley. It was the first time he's given up three runs in the first inning this year. deGrom had a rough beginning in the bottom of the second inning after he gave up a lead-off double to LF Abraham Almonte and then a single to the next hitter catcher Kevan Smith, but was able to rebound and strike out the next three hitters he faced. deGrom settled in after that with a 1-2-3 bottom of the third on six pitches and struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth. He struck out the side again in the fifth and and two more strikeouts to start the bottom of the sixth which made it eight consecutive strikeouts and then retired SS Dansby Swanson on a fly-out to centerfield to end the inning and snap his strike-out streak. deGrom's dominant run continued in the bottom of the seventh with a 1-2-3 inning helped out by stellar defensive plays by 3B Luis Guillorme which extended his streak to 18 consecutive hitters retired and was taken out after the inning. His final line was 7 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs, 0 walks and 14 strikeouts. deGrom was off in the first couple of hitters, but then he was able to settle down and get on a roll for the last five innings he pitchd. He had great life on his fastball and better command of his slider and change-up as the game went on. deGrom is able to make adjustments during the game and figure out what is wrong. He showed that he can still dominant even without his dominant "stuff" for the first couple of innings. RHP Trevor May followd in the bottom of the eighth and gave up back-to-back to pinch-hitter Ronald Acuna Jr and RF Ehire Adrianza to start the inning, but retired the next two hitters he faced and then walked Riley which loaded the based. May came back to strike out Swanson to end the inning. RHP Seth Lugo came on in the bottom of the ninth to try to extend the game to extra innings and got a dribbler from CF Guillermo Heredira back to the mound, but after Lugo fielded it, he lost his footing and threw the ball into the Braves dugout. Heredia was able to advance to second on the throw and after an out, Lugo struck out catcher Kevan Smith for the second out. Lugo then walked Acuna Jr intentionally to load the bases and struck out CF Ender Incariarte for the second inning. Lugo was almost out of the inning and then faced Braves star 1B Freddie Freeman who hit a grounder that bounced off of Lugo that bounced toward Guillorme at third. Guillorme tried to throw out Freeman at first, but he wasn't able to make the throw in time which allowed Freman to reach on a walk-off infield single. The offense got off to a fast start in the top of the first after SS Francisco Lindor walked and stole second and then RF Michael Conforto hit a RBI single. The bats went quiet until the top of the seventh when Dom Smith hit a solo homer. Smith hit another solo homer off of Braves closer Will Smith in the top of the ninth which tied the game. The Mets next game is tomorrow night in the Bronx for the Subway Series at the Yanks at 7:05 p.m.