Gregory Bull/Associated Press
ATLANTA — For a month, the Mets avoided nights like this. They punished weak opponents, often with stirring comebacks. They withstood injuries and avoided gaffes. They gave their fans a well-earned measure of hope.
On Wednesday at SunTrust Park, it felt like the first half again. The Mets came back to take a seventh-inning lead on the Atlanta Braves. Then Manager Mickey Callaway pulled starter Steven Matz, who had thrown just 79 pitches in six dazzling innings. The Braves promptly scored five runs off Seth Lugo to win, 6-4, giving the Mets their third loss in a row.