If the Mets were actually contending for a postseason spot, many television remotes would have likely met their untimely demise at the conclusion of the team's Monday night loss to the Braves. Blowing a lead to a loathed division rival is never fun to watch, of course, but given the context of the Mets' 2013 season, the loss certainly didn't come as a surprise.
Dillon Gee recorded just three strikeouts in his start but threw seven scoreless innings. He carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before giving up two singles and hitting Dan Uggla to load the bases. He got out of the jam without allowing a run, but his night was over as he labored and his pitch count soared in the incredibly thick New York City air.
It would be easy to pin the Mets' loss on Bobby Parnell, who allowed two runs in the ninth inning, and it would not be entirely unfair. The Mets' bats did not help, though, as they scored just one run on five hits through eight innings.
The run scored in the fourth on a Marlon Byrd triple—a ball that should have been nothing more than an out or a single if Justin Upton had played it properly in right field. With Byrd on third thanks to the miscue, Ike Davis singled to bring him home. Without another run, the Mets were walking a tightrope, especially given the strong back end of the Braves' bullpen.
LaTroy Hawkins threw a scoreless eighth inning, and Parnell took over for the ninth. Brian McCann singled through the Mets' shift. Evan Gattis dropped a single into right-center field with the Mets playing no doubles defense. Dan Uggla grounded into a force out at third, keeping the Braves' baserunners at first and second. But a passed ball by John Buck—who, along with Parnell, was reportedly crossed up—allowed the runners to advance.
The Braves tied the game on a ground out to shortstop Omar Quintanilla, and they took the lead on a pinch-hit, line-drive single by Reed Johnson.
With rain increasingly falling, the Mets put up a fight against the usually dominant Craig Kimbrel. Ike Davis struck out, but Kimbrel hit Buck with a pitch. Andrew Brown came in to run for Buck, and Kimbrel struck out Juan Lagares. Quintanilla drew a walk, though, and just-activated pinch hitter Justin Turner hit a ball into left-center field that looked like it would tie or win the game. But Jason Heyward, playing out of position as a center fielder in the game, made an outstanding diving catch to end the game.
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