ATLANTA — Josh Edgin Friday night became the umpteenth pitcher in Mets history to have his heart broken by Chipper Jones.
The left-handed reliever received an important assignment in his major league debut and nearly finished the job, but then Jones slammed a solo homer in the sixth inning — the start of a two-run frame for the Braves in the Mets’ 7-5 loss at Turner Field.
Edgin had entered with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth and struck out Juan Francisco and Michael Bourn to end the inning and keep the Mets’ deficit at 5-4.
He then got two outs in the sixth, including a strike out of Jason Heyward, before Jones homered and Freddie Freeman doubled. Freeman scored after Ramon Ramirez relieved Edgin.
“Bases loaded jam, I commanded my pitches, but next inning not so much,” Edgin said. “You can draw the line right down the middle there.”
The last time the Mets had seen Edgin, he was blowing away opponents in spring training and a candidate to make the Opening Day roster.
Keeping true to their promise not to rush young talent, the Mets sent Edgin to Double-A Binghamton, then Triple-A Buffalo. The call to join the Mets finally came on Tuesday.
“I would lie if I said I wasn’t nervous. I’m nervous,” Edgin said before the game. “I’m pumped. I can’t wait to throw. It’s everything all jumbled into one phone call when [manager] Wally [Backman] called me and that was it, so it’s great to be here.”
The 25-year-old pitched 10 ¹/₃ scoreless innings for the Mets in spring training and was among the final cuts. The Mets would like to think Edgin can be the second lefty, joining Tim Byrdak, the team has desperately lacked.
Manager Terry Collins said he wanted Edgin for this particular series because of the Braves’ lefty power.
“You look at the top of their lineup, [Michael] Bourn, [Freddie] Freeman, [Jason] Heyward, you’re going to want a lefty for those guys,” Collins said. “This allows us to save Timmy. If in the seventh inning we need to get one of those guys out, Edgin gives us that where we can save Tim for later on if we need him.”
mpuma@nypost.com