A day after holding on to an 8-7 win, the Mets could not push the tying run across as they fell 6-5 to the Braves on Tuesday night in Atlanta.
Here are the takeaways...
-Down 6-0 in the eighth, the Mets scored three in the eighth on Pete Alonso's three-run homer and pushed across two more in the ninth to cut the Braves' lead to 6-5. With the bases empty and two outs, Francisco Lindor who was 0-for-4 up to this at-bat and had just one hit as a left-handed hitter this season, blooped a single to get Alonso up as the go-ahead run. Unfortunately, Alonso swung and missed on a Raisel Iglesias changeup down in the zone.
Overall, the Mets offense was 1-for-10 with RISP and left eight men on base.
-Adrian Houser had a gutsy performance that was derailed by the third inning when the Braves hitters jumped on his fastballs to string together six straight singles and score three runs. It could have been worse but Orlando Arcia grounded to Alonso who got the force at home with the bases loaded and then Travis d’Arnaud grounded into a double play to end the inning.
Houser's night was over after five innings (95 pitches/54 strikes), giving up eight hits, five runs, two walks while striking out one batter. He also hit two batters after hitting just one batter all of last season.
-The Mets offense was stymied by Reynaldo Lopez, who was impressive in his second straight start this season. The 30-year-old righty pitched six shutout innings giving up three hits, walking three, while striking out six batters.
The Mets often picked up a leadoff hit or walk, but Lopez and the Braves pitchers were able to erase them via the double play.
-Alonso entered Tuesday’s game 0-for-17 on the road trip (four games) but got off the schneid when he hit a double in the first inning. He then drove in the only Mets runs with a three-run shot in the eighth inning. The slugger finished 2-for-3 with a walk.
-Dedniel Nunez made his first MLB appearance. Nunez was called up after the Mets DFA'd Julio Teheran earlier in the day. The hard-throwing righty was a bit unlucky, allowing a bloop hit and another hit that probably should have been called an error on Brett Baty.
Nunez finished his two innings of work giving up three hits, one run and striking out three batters.
Game MVP: Ronald Acuna Jr.
The reigning NL MVP wreaked havoc against the Mets on Tuesday, doing most of his damage on the basepaths.
He got things started in the first inning after being hit by a pitch, he stole second and eventually scored to give the Braves an early lead. In the rough third inning for Houser, he stole both second and third.
Acuna Jr. finished 2-for-3 with a walk, three stolen bases and two runs scored.
The outfielder's warpath on the bases punctuates a problem for the Mets in the early part of the season. According to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo, the Mets have allowed 21 stolen bases in less than 100 innings so far this season. They are the only team that has yet to catch a runner stealing.