Mets fail to pull off sweep in Atlanta
David Peterson of the New York Mets pitches during the first inning against Atlanta at Truist Park on August 24, 2025. Credit: Getty Images/Todd Kirkland
ATLANTA — The first two games of this series against Atlanta were marked by strong defense, ample offensive production and a mercurial bullpen. Only one of those things remained consistent Sunday afternoon, and it wasn’t the first two.
The Mets’ bats cooled off and Gregory Soto allowed the go-ahead runs in the eighth as Atlanta came back to avoid being swept, beating the Mets, 4-3, at Truist Park. The Mets’ bullpen gave up five runs in Friday’s win over Atlanta. The team now faces a big three-game set against the first-place Phillies at Citi Field.
“The free passes, giving them extra outs, and they made us pay,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We didn’t get the job done . . . You’ve got to be able to finish games. The little things we’re not doing right now continue to add up.”
Most of Soto’s woes, though, could be credited to rotten luck.
After tying the score at 2 in the sixth, Atlanta surged ahead. After Ozzie Albies hit a line drive that just grazed the glove of a leaping Brett Baty at second base, Soto got the next two outs before walking Sean Murphy and hitting Vidal Brujan with a pitch. That brought up Jurickson Profar, who hit a soft liner that dropped in front of Cedric Mullins in center for a two-run single.
Mullins singled with one out in the ninth and Francisco Lindor followed with a single, extending his hitting streak to 11 games. Juan Soto then stroked an RBI single off closer Raisel Iglesias to draw the Mets to within 4-3. But Pete Alonso popped out to shortstop and Jeff McNeil popped out to first in foul territory to end it.
The Mets opened the scoring in the second, courtesy of Mark Vientos’ continued torrid streak. McNeil worked a leadoff walk to bring up Vientos, who blasted Bryce Elder’s hanging slider 402 feet to left-center to put the Mets up 2-0. It was Vientos’ third homer in as many at-bats and extended his hitting streak to seven straight games.
It’s been a stark turnaround for Vientos, who saw his playing time severely limited at the beginning of the month. Vientos was hitting .227 with seven home runs on Aug. 15, forcing Mendoza to sit him more often than not.
In eight games between Aug. 7-17, Vientos played in only two. Since the 17th, though, he’s slashed .357/.387/.964 with seven extra-base hits and 11 RBIs.
“I’m more focused on what pitch I want to hit and what location, and I’m convinced of my approach,” Vientos said. “I was trying to be someone I wasn’t. I covered too many pitches and that would get me out of my strike zone, but now I’m just convicted.”
David Peterson was effective until the sixth, where some soft contact lost the Mets the lead. Marcell Ozuna walked and Albies hit into a forceout at second — a ball on which Ronny Mauricio and Baty failed to turn the double play.
Michael Harris II then hit a weak two-out liner to center for a single. Nacho Alvarez Jr. walked to load the bases for Murphy, who hit a soft liner to rightfield that dropped in front of Soto for a two-run single to tie the score at 2.
“I just didn’t do a good enough job after the [Albies] ground ball of continuing to get ahead of guys and fell behind in the count,” Peterson said. “Good outing overall, but I need to continue to stay aggressive.
Brooks Raley got the final out for Peterson, who allowed two runs and five hits with four walks and eight strikeouts.
The Mets drew two two-out walks against Pierce Johnson in the seventh to bring in lefty Dylan Lee for Soto, who also walked to load the bases. Alonso then swung at a first-pitch changeup and grounded out to strand the runners.
“We’ve got to be able to make those adjustments, especially when we get to those middle innings and we get to their bullpen,” Mendoza said. “We chased and we didn’t get it done.”
Sproat pitches out of pen
No. 5 prospect Brandon Sproat was scratched from his start with Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday and pitched out of the bullpen in preparation for a potential call-up.
The righty struggled, allowing five runs and seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 3 2⁄3 innings.
“It’s part of the plan, part of the development,” Mendoza said of throwing Sproat in relief. “They do a really good job preparing those guys in case there’s a need here and before you know it, we need him to pitch out of the bullpen here. It’s kind of in preparation of anything that can happen here.”
Sproat has a 4.50 ERA, but that’s mostly because of the rocky start to his season. Since June 28, he pitched to a 2.05 ERA in the nine games before Sunday. Mendoza said the team has yet to discuss inserting a sixth starter.
Laura Albanese is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. She's been covering MLB since 2014 after starting at Newsday as an intern seven years earlier.
