Four's Not Enough in the 404

Braves 5 Mets 4 (Truist Park, Atlanta, GA)

Mets Record: 45-28

Mets Streak: L4

Mets Last 10: 6-4

WP: Raisel Iglesias (4-5)

LP: Huascar Brazoban (3-2)

Seat On The Korner:

We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.

Often the seat on the Korner goes to a player who performed well throughout the game. Tonight it's just about one hit, but what a hit it was for the Braves. Atlanta loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the 8th as they were looking to come back from a 4-1 deficit. Mets starter David Peterson was just a hair short of dominant for the first seven innings. But, after allowing the first two batters of the 8th to reach, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza called on reliever Reed Garrett to get the Mets out of the jam. Garrett gave up a single to the first batter he faced, and suddenly the tying runs were on base. However, a Matt Olson strikeout followed by an Austin Riley fly out, and the Mets were just an out away from escaping with the lead, as Marcel Ozuna stepped up to the plate. Garrett was able to get a strike away from ending things, but that's as far as he would get with Ozuna. The pitcher's 90 MPH splitter got a bit too much of the plate, or just enough from Ozuna's standpoint, and the Braves DH lined a game-tying double down the left field line. With one swing of the bat, Peterson's performance, and the Mets lead, were erased.

Need To Know:

• After a day off on Monday, today's game was the first in a string of 13 straight

• Prior to the game, the Mets announced that starting pitcher Tylor Megill is suffering from an elbow strain. He has been placed on the IL and will be shut down for 7-10 days at which point he will be re-evaluated. Reliever Justin Garza has been called up to take his spot on the roster.

• The Mets have now lost 4 games in a row for the first time all season.

• The loss puts the Mets back at .500 on the road this year with an 18-18 record.

• With 2 hits tonight, Juan Soto now has 999 for his career.

• Injured Mets 3B/DH Mark Vientos made his first rehab start with Triple-A Syracuse tonight. He went 0-4 as the team's DH.

• Down on the farm: Infielder/Outfielder Jett Williams of the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the Mets AA affiliate, was named the Eastern League Player of the Week, while pitcher Brendan Girton of the Brooklyn Cyclones, the Mets High-A affiliate, was named the South Atlantic Pitcher of the Week.

Turning Point

Looking to bounce back quickly from the rough ending to the bottom of the 8th, Juan Soto led off the 9th inning with a single to right off pitcher Dylan Lee. Pete Alonso followed it up with a long drive to right that required a leaping catch by Ronald Acuna Jr. to keep it from going for extra bases. Soto misread the play, however, and was doubled off first base. In an instant, the rally was dead. The Mets went hitless over the remaining inning and a third, and the Braves were able to take advantage.

Three Keys:

Soto Starts It Off

In his first at-bat in the Mets-Braves rivalry, Juan Soto lined a solo home run to

center field to put the Mets ahead 1-0 in the first inning. It was Soto's 14th home run of the season and his 20th career home run against the Braves.

Call Tyrone

While the name Tyrone Taylor likely conjures up visions of great plays in the field, it was his bat that made people look tonight. Taylor's well-placed 2-run double in the second inning increased the Mets lead to 3-0, and a solo home run in the 5th inning made the score 4-1 Mets.

Schwellenbach Down To Earth

Braves second-year starting pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach came into tonight with a brief yet remarkable history against the Mets. In his three starts against them last season, the righty held the Mets to a .123 batting average, a .341 OPS, with 20 strikeouts and just one walk. The Mets were able to get to him early tonight and while he did eventually settle in somewhat, he ended the night giving up 6 hits, 4 runs (all earned), 2 home runs, and 2 walks, over 7 innings.