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Try it freeATLANTA — Stink, stank, stunk.
There you have the anatomy of the Mets’ three games at Truist Park that followed their equally compelling series last weekend against the Rays.
The Mets were sputtering before Thursday’s first pitch was thrown, and following a 7-1 loss to the Braves for a sixth straight defeat, the threat of a lingering stench seemed likely.
It’s a team headed into Philadelphia to face Zack Wheeler on Friday with solo possession of first place in the NL East a memory.
The Phillies have won five of six games and ended the day tied with the Mets atop the division.
That the Mets are slumping offensively isn’t sounding alarms as much as the recent pitching doldrums.
On this night it was Clay Holmes who turned in a clunker, following an uninspiring Paul Blackburn start, and Huascar Brazoban didn’t provide any relief.
It left manager Carlos Mendoza to use Justin Hagenman for 2 ²/₃ innings, removing him from duty on Friday, when he likely would have followed an opener against the Phillies.
But there is no excusing a lineup that produced only one run over the final 22 innings against the Braves, barely emitting a squeak against Chris Sale and Spencer Strider.
The Braves are still five games below .500, but have to believe their season is alive, especially with a four-game series looming next week at Citi Field.
Holmes couldn’t escape the fifth, extending Drake Baldwin’s at-bat to eight pitches before walking him with the bases loaded to give the Braves a 2-1 lead.
Holmes departed at 104 pitches, and Huascar Brazoban issued a four-pitch walk to Ozzie Albies that further extended Atlanta’s lead before Brazoban recorded the final out.
Holmes was charged for three earned runs on four hits and six walks over 4²/₃ innings in a rare sloppy performance that pushed his ERA to 3.04.
It was a second straight start in which Holmes failed to reach the sixth inning.
Ronny Mauricio stroked an RBI single against Strider in the second for the game’s first run.
Tyrone Taylor singled and stole second before Mauricio delivered with two outs.
It was a needed contribution from the rookie Mauricio, who entered in a 3-for-22 (.136) rut over his previous seven games.
The RBI snapped a 15-inning scoreless streak for the Mets, who were dominated by Sale a night earlier.