Weak-hitting Mets held down again in 2-1 loss to Braves

ATLANTA (AP) -- A rookie making his major league debut extended the Mets' hitting woes.

Wasting another strong start from Jacob deGrom, New York's batters were shut down by Atlanta's Matt Wisler in Friday night's 2-1 loss to the Braves.

The Mets have scored a combined two runs in three straight losses, dropping their lead over second-place Washington to one-half game.

"We've gotten some very good pitching," manager Terry Collins said. "We just aren't scoring runs."

Wisler allowed only one run in eight innings to outpitch deGrom, who lost a 1-0 lead in the eighth. After deGrom allowed two hits and was pulled, left-hander Sean Gilmartin gave up Jace Peterson's two-run double over the head of Juan Lagares in center field.

DeGrom said he "felt good," but understood Collins' decision to bring in Gilmartin.

"I think we wanted to go with the matchup there," deGrom said. "That's part of it."

Collins noted it was 90 degrees and deGrom had thrown 97 pitches.

"I thought it was time," Collins said.

DeGrom took his first loss since May 11. Until the eighth inning, deGrom (7-5) was dominant on his 27th birthday. He allowed two runs and four hits, including two in the eighth.

Wisler (1-0) allowed one run and six hits and no walks in eight innings. The NL East-leading Mets' only run off Wisler came on Michael Cuddyer's run-scoring single in the sixth.

Wisler, 22, was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett before the game. Wisler was San Diego's top prospect before coming to the Braves as a big part of the April 5 trade that sent closer Craig Kimbrel to the Padres.

Andrelton Simmons, who had a second-inning single for Atlanta's first hit, led off the eighth with a double to left field. One out later, pinch-hitter Pedro Ciriaco's infield hit left runners at first and third. Peterson gave Atlanta the lead with his double off Gilmartin.

Ruben Tejada led off the sixth with a double to left field and moved to third on Lucas Duda's fly ball to right. Cuddyer's grounder took a high bounce over Chris Johnson at third base for a run-scoring single.

It was the only inning Wisler allowed more than one baserunner.

JOINING SMOLTZ

The only other pitcher in Atlanta history to pitch at least eight innings and allow only one run or less in his debut was John Smoltz, who also held the Mets to one run in eight innings on July 23, 1988.

"For my big league debut, to have a night like that was unbelievable," Wisler said.

SAVE FOR GRILLI

Jason Grilli pitched the ninth for his 19th save. With one out, Wilmer Flores reached on third baseman Juan Uribe's fielding error. With Flores still on first, Grilli struck out pinch-hitter Darrell Ceciliani to end the game.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Mets: RHP Zack Wheeler, out for the season following Tommy John surgery, is from the Atlanta area and traveled from Florida to be with the team. Wheeler said his rehab has been slow and he hopes that starting to throw next month "will speed up the process a little bit."

Braves: 1B Freddie Freeman (sprained left wrist) missed his second straight start, but was "a lot better" and available as a defensive replacement, according to manager Fredi Gonzalez.

UP NEXT

Mets: Rookie RHP Noah Syndergaard, 0-3 with a 6.46 ERA in three road starts, will look for his first win away from New York when he faces the Braves on Saturday night. Syndergaard is 2-4 overall with a 3.76 ERA.

Braves: Atlanta also will start a rookie as RHP Williams Perez (3-0, 2.29) looks to continue his string of strong starts. Perez threw six scoreless innings in a win at Boston on Monday.

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