Mets Lose to Braves Again

The Braves scored three runs in the top of the ninth inning to beat the Mets Wednesday night, as they took the rubber match of the three-game series at Citi Field.

Daniel Murphy got the Mets on top in the first with a solo home run. His 13th home run ties his season high.

Two struggling Mets — Lucas Duda and Travis d’Arnaud — contributed for another run in the second. Duda led off with a double off the glove of the second baseman and went to third when d’Arnaud singled. With one out Ruben Tejada singled to plate Duda to make it a 2-0 game.

Colon was cruising, including being perfect for 4.2 innings, until the seventh. Three singles loaded the bases, and Colon was pulled in favor of Addison Reed. Reed allowed a single to score one run and then Freddie Freeman connected with pinch hit double off the wall in right to give the Braves a 3-2 lead. It was Reed’s first poor outing as a Met.

Colon went 6.1 innings, allowing three runs in five hits. He walked one batter and struck out one.

The Mets tied the game in the bottom of the seventh when David Wright singled with two outs to bring home pinch runner Eric Young. Young got himself into scoring position with a big stolen base.

But Mets-killer Freeman struck again. With two on in the ninth, he hit a long home run into the seats in left off of Jeurys Familia to make it a 6-3 game. Freeman was supposed to have the night off. Jerk.

The Mets go down 6-3, to end a disappointing 3-6 homestand — their first losing homestand of the season.

UPDATE

The Nationals lost, so the magic number to clinch the NL East is down to five.