Mets blow six-run lead, allow nine runs in fourth inning of loss to Atlanta
Mets starting pitcher David Peterson stands on the mound after giving up four runs to Atlanta during the fourth inning of an MLB game at Citi Field on Wednesday. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
After a 95-minute rain delay Wednesday night, the Mets offered fans a voucher to an April 2026 weekday game as a thank you for sticking around.
Plenty of the announced 38,647 at Citi Field who stayed were likely regretting their decision by the end of the night.
The Mets scored the game’s first six runs in the first two innings, but David Peterson and Reed Garrett surrendered nine runs to Atlanta in a hard-to-believe fourth en route to an 11-6 loss, one of the club’s worst of the season.
“Every loss is — every one of them hurt,” Carlos Mendoza said. “We’ve had some tough ones. I wouldn’t say worst loss of the season. They all count the same. Back at it tomorrow. But it sucks to lose a game when you’re up six right away.”
The Mets totaled 12 hits but were held scoreless for the final seven innings, putting no runners in scoring position in the final four.
The Mets (64-56) remained five games back of the NL-East leading Phillies (69-51), who lost to the Reds, 8-0, on Wednesday. Cincinnati (64-58) is only one game back of the Mets for the NL’s third and final wild card spot. The Mets have lost 12 of their last 14 games.
Atlanta righthander Carlos Carrasco, who made 61 starts for the Mets from 2021-23, made his first start against his former team since leaving as a free agent. It was a rough one.
Carrasco allowed six runs, six hits and walked three in two innings, throwing 67 pitches. He struck out two.
Peterson’s start was just as poor. He allowed a season-high six runs, five hits and a season-high-tying five walks in a season-low 3 1⁄3 innings, striking out five. He exited with the Mets holding a 6-4 lead with runners on first and second in the fourth.
“He just kind of lost the strike zone, especially arm-side,” Mendoza said. “And they made him pay.”
Wednesday marked the fifth straight game that a Mets starter failed to complete five innings.
“It’s frustrating,” said Peterson, whose ERA rose to 3.30 from 2.98. “We’re not holding up our end, and we need to do better. I think that starts with analyzing the performance and then turning the page, moving onto the next one.”
Peterson loaded the bases with one out in the fourth before walking Nick Allen. Jurickson Profar then hit a bases-clearing double to cut the lead to 6-4.
Marcell Ozuna hit an RBI single off Garrett to make it 6-5. Three batters later, Michael Harris II hit a two-out, 417-foot grand slam to dead center to give Atlanta (52-68) a 9-6 lead.
The Mets nearly answered in the bottom of the fourth on Starling Marte’s two-out single, but Pete Alonso was thrown out at home by rightfielder Eli White.
In the fifth, Juan Soto struck out with runners on first and second to end the inning after an eight-pitch at-bat. Soto is hitting .206 (7-for-34) with two outs and runners in scoring position.
Ozuna’s two-run homer in the sixth off Paul Blackburn, pitching in his first game back from his IL stint with a right shoulder impingement, made it 11-6. It was the only hit Blackburn allowed in five innings.
The Mets plated three runs in each of Carrasco’s two innings. Alonso (3-for-4) hit a two-run single to open the scoring, Cedric Mullins had a sacrifice fly, Soto hit a two-run homer and Jeff McNeil had an RBI double.
“They’re tough losses, but you got to keep going,” Mendoza said. “We got the coaches right now looking up pretty much everything. Trying to figure it out, how can we continue to help these guys, especially the guys from the rotation? Because we know the talent’s there, but we just haven’t been able to get much from them, especially this last time through.
“So, not easy, but understanding that we got to keep going.”
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.
