The Mets led the Braves 8-2 on Friday night, but the bullpen melted down and the Mets fell 11-10. >> Box score
Seven things to know from Friday's game
1. Up by four going into the eighth, the Mets handed the ball to Dellin Betances, who had an adventure of an inning. Betances allowed four earned runs in just one-third of an inning, walking two and uncorking a wild pitch. Seth Lugo was then called on to try clean things up with two inherited runners on, but Lugo walked Marcell Ozuna and then allowed a three-run double by Travis d’Arnaud, giving the Braves an 11-10 lead after trailing 8-2 earlier in the game.
2. Rick Porcello, who was roughed up for six earned runs in 2.0 innings in his first start against the Braves, got struggled again early on Friday. After striking out the first two hitters he faced, Porcello allowed four straight singles, including RBI hits by Matt Adams and d’Arnaud. The right-hander was only able to get into the fourth inning, when he was pulled with two runners on and nobody out. Both runner would come around to score, giving Porcello a final line of 4.0 innings pitched, four runs (three earned), five hits, three walks and five strikeouts.
3. J.D. Davis put the Mets on the board in the top of the fourth inning. Following a Pete Alonso walk, Davis, hitting out of the cleanup spot, slammed a two-run home run off of Sean Newcomb. Davis, who continues to rake against left-handed pitching, tied the game at 2-2.
4. Robinson Cano continued his torrid streak in the top of the fifth, taking advantage of a hanging breaking ball and depositing it over the wall in right for his first home run of the year. The home run, which gave the Mets a 3-2 lead, gave Cano seven hits in his last 11 at-bats.
5. Following Cano’s home run, the Mets continued their fifth-inning rally. After three straight singles from Wilson Ramos, Andres Gimenez, and Brandon Nimmo, Alonso drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the Mets’ fourth run of the game. Michael Conforto then worked another walk to bring in a run, and Yoenis Cespedes pulled a double down the line, and the Mets had broken the game open 7-2. Cano then recorded his second RBI of the inning with a base-hit to right, capping off a six-run fifth inning.
6. Up 8-2, the Mets couldn’t secure that shutdown inning in the bottom half. The Braves quickly got three runs back, thanks in part to a pair of Mets errors, as well as RBI hits from Adams and d’Arnaud. The errors, committed by Davis and Cano, were the first errors this season by any other Met than Jeff McNeil. But the Mets were able to bounce back and score two more in their next half inning, including an Amed Rosario home run another Davis RBI hit.
7. A bright spot for the Mets was Gimenez, who recorded two hits (including a drag bunt single) and scored a run. He also flashed a good glove at third base, making a great leaping grab.
What’s next
The Mets and Braves play the second game of their four-game set on Saturday at 7:10 PM on SNY. Michael Wacha (1-0, 1.80 ERA) will face off against fellow righty Touki Toussaint (0-0, 20.25 ERA).