K-Rod knocked around for 3 runs in 9th

There was a small rally on the bridge beyond centerfield in the fifth inning Friday night, a few dozen Mets fans in homemade orange T-shirts that read, "Don't trade Reyes."

They chanted Jose Reyes' name, which drew his attention, given that he was standing at shortstop not doing much of anything at the time.

"They want me here," Reyes said, acknowledging he noticed the little "Jose" chants.

Of course, the Mets were leading 3-1 then, and Reyes already had his league-leading ninth triple to key a three-run fourth.

But by the end of the night, after his error allowed the tying run to score in the eighth, Reyes was hearing boos. Francisco Rodriguez then gave up a solo homer to Eric Hinske in the ninth, plus a two-run double to Freddie Freeman, and the Mets had collapsed late yet again.

The 6-3 loss to the Braves was the Mets' fifth loss in the last week when leading after six innings, and their fourth when leading after seven.

The last time they blew one, Wednesday to the Pirates, Terry Collins went Incredible Hulk on his team, questioning their hearts.

On Friday night, he didn't need to explode.

"They're aware," Collins said. "They've talked about it. We can't let it happen."

But it did, and some of the Mets' better performers this season were in the middle of this latest late collapse.

Rodriguez (1-2) took the blame after Hinske pulled a fastball high and not that deep to right. The ball landed in the first row of field-level seats just beyond Carlos Beltran's glove.

"It's on me; this one's on me," Rodriguez said. "It's the second time [for me] in less than a week. I've got to be more aggressive. There's no excuses."

Reyes faced the music, too. Despite two more hits to give him a league-best 79, his error -- which followed Jason Isringhausen's two-out walk to Dan Uggla and a wild pitch that put Uggla in scoring position -- cost Jonathon Niese a win after he went 72/3 mostly strong innings.

"That's a routine play. I just left my glove up," Reyes said. "I have to make that play. At least I have to keep the ball in front of me. That's the game right there."

Reyes' triple in the fourth triggered a three-run inning off Braves starter Derek Lowe that included run-scoring singles by Beltran, Daniel Murphy and Angel Pagan, though Murphy was thrown out trying to grab second after a throw home was too late to get Beltran.

That gave Niese a cushion, and he worked smoothly and effectively for the first seven innings despite a rocky second. His curveball was working well. He allowed eight hits but walked only one and struck out seven.

"When you have a curve like that," Collins said, "you've got to use it."

Niese was at 90 pitches through seven, but Collins elected to have his pitcher hit with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. In the eighth, Niese had Chipper Jones flailing at the curve, but a fastball didn't stay in and Jones mashed it into the seats in left to make it a 3-2 game. It was Jones' 46th career home run against the Mets.

Niese got the next two outs before giving way to Isringhausen, and the Mets gave way late again.

"It's tough. We had the game all the way to the eighth inning, and we let it get away," Reyes said.

Again.