The Mets' bullpen blew an eighth-inning lead, and the Mets dropped their seventh straight game, falling to the Braves 5-4 on Saturday night. >> Box score
Six things to know from Saturday's game
1) Seth Lugo pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the Mets, but things collapsed in the eighth. With one away, Lugo allowed back-to-back home runs to Nick Markakis and Austin Riley. They Met's 4-3 lead turned into a 5-4 deficit in two swings of the bat.
2) Steven Matz's afternoon was cut short due to a lengthy rain delay, but he once again struggled in the first inning, continuing a season-long trend. After loading the bases with one away, Matz allowed a two-run single to Ozzie Albies, putting the Mets in an early 2-0 hole. The lefty pitched a scoreless second inning, but he was then pulled from the game following a lengthy rain delay at Citi Field. Matz's ERA is now 4.95 on the season.
3) Chris Mazza was impressive for the Mets in relief on Saturday. Making his Major League debut, the 29-year-old took the mound after the rain delay and gave the Mets four innings, allowing just one run on five hits. Mazza was in line for his first Major League victory before Lugo gave up the lead.
4) Dominic Smith continues to swing a hot bat for the Mets, belting an opposite-field solo home run in the bottom of the third to get the Mets on the board. Smith hit three home runs in the series against the Phillies and now has eight home runs on the year. In the ninth inning, Smith had the tying and go-ahead run on base, but he went down swinging to end the game.
5) After Jeff McNeil took a rare 0-4 against the Braves on Friday, he got back into the hit column on Saturday, doubling in the Mets' second run of the game in the fourth inning. Later, in the sixth inning, McNeil tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI double. All-Star reserves will be announced on Sunday, and McNeil continues to make a case for himself.
6) Robinson Cano came up with a clutch hit for the Mets in the sixth, singling up the middle with two away off of Braves' lefty Sean Newcomb. Cano's single scored McNeil, and gave the Mets their first lead of the game at 4-3.
Highlights
Video: WATCH: Dom Smith hits a bomb to CF
What's next
The Mets and Braves close out their three-game set on Sunday at 7:05 p.m. Noah Syndergaard (5-4, 4.55 ERA) will make his return to the mound against Braves lefty Max Fried (9-3, 3.96 ERA).