Braves beat Mets on another walk-off homer
Mets pitcher Steven Matz talks with Mickey Callaway before leaving in the fourth inning of a game against the Braves on Tuesday. Credit: AP / John Bazemore
ATLANTA — The misery was never-ending.
It was not enough that the Mets lost two pitchers to injury Tuesday, or suffered through three rain delays in two days. Not only did they lose a four-run lead beginning in the seventh, wasting two home runs by Asdrubal Cabrera. No, they also had to lose the game on their second walk-off in as many days, this time a solo home run by Johan Camargo against Gerson Bautista, as the Braves took the game 7-6, at SunTrust Park.
“It really is,” astonishing, all the misfortune, Mickey Callaway said. “It’s unfortunate. Guys are out there pitching their hearts out and the results just haven’t come.”
On Tuesday, one day after a split doubleheader and two rain delays, the Mets again had to wait: the start of the game was pushed back 41 minutes for rain that never fully materialized. The Mets have also put three players on the disabled list in that span, and had Steven Matz depart to start the fourth in this game with an injury.
The Mets were forced to use a hodgepodge of relievers at the worst possible time, essentially playing four pitchers short — the result of heavy workloads Monday, Seth Lugo’s promotion to the rotation, and no corresponding move for Noah Syndergaard, who was shipped to the DL earlier in the day. A fifth pitcher, Robert Gsellman, was also initially unavailable to pitch, but said he could if needed late in the game.
The Mets led by as much as 6-2, on the back of two homers and three RBIs from Cabrera. Brandon Nimmo went 2-for-3 with two runs, two stolen bases and an RBI.
But Jerry Blevins gave up a run-scoring double to Nick Markakis in the seventh to make it 6-3, and Jacob Rhame loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth. One run scored on a fielder’s choice, and Ender Inciarte hit a two-run triple to tie the game at 6.
Swarzak close. Reliever Anthony Swarzak (oblique) allowed one hit, with no walks and two strikeouts in one inning in a rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday, and could very well be rejoining the team soon, Callaway said. Swarzak has been sidelined since May 31 . . . Todd Frazier (hamstring) will begin playing games very soon and Yoenis Cespedes (strained right hip flexor) is making progress running.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
