Mets lose in ninth on errant throw by Wright

ATLANTA - Whatever the Mets decide to do with Jenrry Mejia, consider the ninth inning of last night's game at Turner Field part of the growing pains in his development.

Called on for the most pressure-packed spot of his young career, Mejia walked the lead runner into scoring position, then watched David Wright's throw sail wide of first base on Melky Cabrera's infield single to score the winning run as the Mets stumbled, 3-2, to the Braves.

Pedro Feliciano (1-2) allowed a single to Brian McCann to open the ninth, and with Yunel Escobar repeatedly trying to give himself up on a bunt, Mejia walked him on six pitches. Next up was Cabrera, who tried and failed to bunt twice, then hit a chopper at Wright, who charged in but flung a wild throw out of Ike Davis' reach for the game-deciding error.

The Mets had a great chance for the go-ahead run in the ninth inning against former teammate Billy Wagner (3-0) when Luis Castillo led off with an infield single. But after reaching third with one out, Wright struck out for the third time and Davis also whiffed on a 3-and-2 slider. For Wright, it extended his career-high strikeout streak to 15 games.

Johan Santana got saddled with his third straight no-decision, despite giving up six earned runs in a stretch of 212/3 innings. He allowed only two in seven innings last night and both came on Troy Glaus' two-run homer with two outs in the third inning.

After that, Santana gave up two more singles, then retired 13 straight before he was replaced by Feliciano to begin the eighth inning. In the meantime, the Mets rallied to tie the score with two homers, by Davis and Jeff Francoeur in the fifth. Mike Pelfrey's victory Monday night is the only win by a Mets starter in 17 games this month.

Francoeur had to be slightly annoyed when Jerry Manuel did not start him for Monday's series opener in his hometown, then used him as a defensive replacement in the sixth inning for Chris Carter. But Francoeur was hitting .174 (8-for-46) with runners in scoring position and stranded one at first base in his only at-bat Monday.

He entered last night batting .081 (3-for-37) in his previous 11 games, and stretched his hitless streak to 0-for-20 when he flew out in the third inning. But in the fifth, after Davis trimmed the Mets' deficit to 2-1, Francoeur crushed a hanging curveball from Braves starter Kris Medlen. Francoeur had not homered since April 30, a stretch of 16 games.

Davis opened the fifth inning by smacking a 2-and-0 pitch for a home run that soared about 20 rows deep into the rightfield seats. Davis was batting .222 (12-for-54) in his previous 16 games and it was his first home run since he went deep twice May 7 against the Giants.

After spending the afternoon in meetings to discuss the Mets' position players, Manuel shuffled his lineup again. As promised, Manuel sat Jason Bay, whose 11-game hitting streak was his longest since 2006, and gave Carter his third straight start, this time in left.

Rod Barajas was a late scratch with a stomach virus.