Mets drop series to Atlanta as Ryan Helsley allows two runs in eighth
Mets relief pitcher Ryan Helsley reacts during the eighth inning against Atlanta at Citi Field on Thursday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
A day after suffering one of their worst losses of the season, the Mets entered Thursday’s eighth inning with a one-run lead over Atlanta.
Ryan Helsley brought the crowd of 41,782 at Citi Field to life as he walked out to “Hells Bells” by AC/DC, his signature entrance.
Instead, the night ended with another painful loss to digest.
Helsley’s struggles continued as he surrendered two runs in the eighth and the Mets lost to Atlanta, 4-3. They have lost 13 of their last 15.
“For everybody else to do the job and you not to do yours, it sucks,” said Helsley, who recorded his second consecutive blown save. “You never want to be that guy and be the reason the team loses.”
The Mets went down in order against Raisel Iglesias in the ninth. Pete Alonso grounded out, Jeff McNeil struck out swinging and Cedric Mullins lined out to center.
The Mets (64-57) dropped their fifth straight series, this one to a 53-68 Atlanta team. They remained five games behind the NL East-leading Phillies (69-52). The Reds (64-58), who were off Thursday, moved within a half-game of the Mets for the NL’s third and final wild-card spot.
“Obviously, we’re not playing well, but too much talent,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We’re going through a very tough time right now, but there’s a lot of good players there. We got to get through this. We can’t be looking at the standings. We know where we’re at. We haven’t played well, but we’re still pretty much right in the thick of things. We got to find a way.”
The Mets’ current 2-13 stretch is their worst in any 15-game span since June 2018. They have lost their last seven one-run games.
The series got off to a magical start for the Mets on Tuesday when Alonso surpassed Darryl Strawberry as the franchise’s all-time home run leader in a 13-5 win. The energy flipped upside-down in Wednesday’s 11-6 loss in which the Mets led 6-0 through two innings before David Peterson and Reed Garrett imploded in Atlanta’s nine-run fourth.
“It’s a test that we’re going through,” said Francisco Lindor, who went 3-for-4. “It’s big adversity. Everyone here has a sense of urgency of trying to win and want to win and they’re doing everything right. So it’s tough to deal with the ups and downs at the end of the night.”
Helsley (3-3, 3.29 ERA) walked Marcell Ozuna with one out in the eighth. Michael Harris II, who hit a go-ahead grand slam Wednesday, doubled home a run to tie it at 3. Ozzie Albies (3-for-4, three RBIs) followed with an RBI double off the rightfield wall to give Atlanta a 4-3 lead.
In his last three outings, Helsley has allowed five runs (three earned) in two innings.
“This guy’s elite, man, and we just got to get him back on track,” Mendoza said.
Lindor reached on a one-out infield single in the eighth, but Dylan Lee struck out Juan Soto on three pitches and Brandon Nimmo grounded out to first.
Kodai Senga provided some optimism as the first Mets starter to complete five innings since Peterson did on Aug. 6.
Senga allowed two runs and five hits in 5 2⁄3 innings, striking out seven and walking one. The righthander threw 93 pitches, his most in six starts since returning from a right hamstring strain on July 11.
Senga exited with the score tied at 1 and runners on first and third with two outs in the sixth. Tyler Rogers entered and allowed a single by Albies that gave Atlanta a 2-1 lead.
The Mets retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth, and baserunning played a big role. Lindor singled with one out, stole second and advanced to third on an errant throw by catcher Drake Baldwin. Soto walked and Nimmo’s sacrifice fly drove in Lindor. Soto stole second and scored on Alonso’s single to give the Mets a 3-2 lead.
Atlanta righthander Bryce Elder (5-9, 5.89) allowed three runs (two earned), five hits and two walks in seven innings, striking out six.
Lindor’s two-out solo homer in the third inning opened the scoring, but Albies answered with a two-out solo shot in the fourth to tie it at 1.
“Obviously, if we lose, it’s a little bit gloomier. And if we win, it’s a little bit more cheerful,” Senga said through an interpreter. “But I think the reason why we’re not able to come out on top at the end is because we’re all missing a little bit, that one little bit to put us on top.
“And I think it starts with the preparation. If we can all prepare as best we can and go into tomorrow and the next day, we’ll have a better chance of winning.”
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
