Clay Holmes, Huascar Brazobán walk nine combined as Mets drop sixth straight with 7-1 loss to Braves

The Mets recent struggles continued on Thursday night in Atlanta, losing to the Braves, 7-1.

Their losing streak is now at a season-high six games.

Here are the takeaways…

— Clay Holmes started off strong with three scoreless innings, including avoiding damage in the third after a double and a walk by striking out Austin Riley. But the trouble caught up to him in the fourth when he walked Matt Olson, let up a single to Marcell Ozuna, and gave up a one-out RBI-single to Ozzie Albies that tied the game at 1-1. Holmes escaped the jam by getting a forceout and a strikeout.

The right-hander found himself in a tough spot again in the fifth after walking Ronald Acuña Jr., giving up a one-out single to Riley, and walking Matt Olson to load the bases. Holmes caught Ozuna looking on a low sinker for the second out, but after a PitchCom issue, walked Drake Baldwin on a full-count to give the Braves a 2-1 lead.

Holmes then exited after a career-high 104 pitches. His final line: three runs on four hits with five strikeouts and six walks over only 4.2 innings.

— Huascar Brazobán replaced Holmes and threw four straight balls to Albies, walking in another run to make it a 3-1 game. He then got Michael Harris II to ground out and finally end the fifth inning.

The pitching struggles continued for the Mets in the sixth as Brazobán loaded the bases in the sixth and gave up a bases-clearing double to Olson, making it a 6-1 game. Brazobán was pulled after 0.2 IP, allowing four runs on two hits with three walks.

— Juan Sotopicked up his 1,000th career hit (game No. 1,010) with a two-out single to right field against the Braves’ Spencer Strider for NY’s first of the day. Pete Alonso followed with a single of his own, but the two were left stranded as Starling Marte grounded out.

— Tyrone Taylor singled with one away in the top of the second inning and stole second to give the Mets a runner in scoring position. The move payed off as Ronny Mauricio came through with a two-out line drive up the middle to put the Mets ahead, 1-0.

— RHP Justin Hagenman, who was called up earlier in the day and was considered to potentially start Friday’s game, came in for Brazobán in the sixth with Olson on second base and one out. He got Ozuna to groundout, but let up a single to Baldwin that pushed the Braves’ lead to 7-1. Hagenman stayed in to finish the rest of the game, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings with two hits and a strikeout.

— New York totaled just six hits in the loss: Soto, Alonso, Taylor, and Mauricio all singled; Brandon Nimmo and Marte doubled. The Mets went 1-for-8 with RISP and left six on base.

Game MVP: Matt Olson

Olson delivered the game-breaking, three-run double and collected two of the nine walks given up by Holmes and Brazobán. He doubled again in the bottom of the eighth against Hagenman, pushing his season total to 18 doubles.

Highlights

What’s next

The Mets head to Philadelphia for a three-game series with the Phillies. First pitch is at 7:15 p.m. on Apple TV+.

Hagenman was the potential opener for NY, but that won’t be the case after he pitched Thursday.

Former Met Zack Wheeler (7-2, 2.76) starts for the Phillies.

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