Recap | Box score | Photos: Los Mets
WHAT IT MEANS: The Mets, Los Mets -- whatever you want to call them -- are now nine games behind the wild card-leading Braves after a listless loss to Atlanta on Friday night.
Many looked at this series as the last chance to get back into the wild-card race for the Mets, who wore blue jerseys with "Los Mets" across the chest. But the offense (four hits, one run) was punchless against Tim Hudson and a dominant Braves bullpen.
The Mets, who have lost five straight, host the Braves for two more this weekend and three more at Citi Field from Aug. 26-28.
EW, IGGY:: Ryota Igarashi entered a one-run game in the eighth and, after getting two outs, promptly coughed up a costly two-run single to Atlanta's Dan Uggla. The single extended Uggla's hitting streak to a career-high 26 games and extended the Braves' lead to 4-1, a deficit the Mets' offense was ill-equipped to overcome.
Igarashi then walked the next two hitters he faced, drawing the ire of the Friday night crowd at Citi. The right-hander struggled in his two previous appearances, having allowed five hits and two earned runs in 2 2/3 innings.
ALMOST, DAVID: David Wright hit a deep fly ball to left center in the bottom of the first. It would have been a home run in most other parks, but Wright had to settle for an RBI double. In other words, he fell victim to Citi Field, yet again.
Wright's RBI was the only run the Mets could get across through seven innings against the Braves' Hudson.
Wright also snapped a 0-for-12 team skid with a one-out single in the eighth, but he and Justin Turner were left stranded when Angel Pagan flew out to right and Jason Bay grounded out weakly to second.
R.A. OK: Mets starter R.A. Dickey stymied the Braves for seven innnigs, allowing two runs on five hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out five. Dickey had a tough time in the third, which started with a leadoff single by Alex Gonzalez. It continued with an RBI triple from No. 9 hitter Jose Costanza and ended with leadoff man Michael Bourn's sac fly.
Dickey also wiggled out of trouble in the sixth. With runners on second and third and one out, he struck out Uggla and got Jason Heyward to hit a harmless grounder to short.
LOS METS: The Mets' special jerseys were worn in honor of Fiesta Latina Night at Citi Field.
WHAT'S NEXT: Tommy Hanson (11-6, 3.20 ERA) faces Jonathon Niese (10-8, 3.94 ERA) in the second game of the three-game set.