Just when the Mets could do no wrong, Throwback Thursday arrived and slapped them across the face.
That meant a meek performance with runners in scoring position and ultimately a 3-1 loss to the Braves at Citi Field that snapped their four-game winning streak.
The Mets (42-50) whiffed in their attempt to sweep their first four-game series against the Braves since July 20-23, 1989 at Shea Stadium.
Bartolo Colon (8-8) lost his third straight start, but deserves credit for hanging in after the Braves jumped him for three runs early.
The Mets had their last real shot in the eighth, before closer Craig Kimbrel entered and struck out pinch-hitter Kirk Nieuwenhuis with runners on first and second. Juan Lagares was retired moments earlier by Jordan Walden on a night the Mets finished 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
“We gave ourselves a chance to get back in the game, we just didn’t get the hit tonight,” manager Terry Collins said.
Aaron Harang was brilliant against the Mets for a third time this season. The veteran right-hander, who finished last season in a Mets uniform, allowed one run on four hits over seven innings with four walks and two strikeouts.
In three starts against the Mets this season, Harang is 2-1 with a 0.90 ERA. That includes the seven no-hit innings he pitched at Citi Field on April 18.
The Mets loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth Wednesday, but Harang retired Travis d’Arnaud — batting fifth for the first time this season — to keep the Braves’ lead at 3-1.
“[Harang] executed a lot of his pitches and got me thinking too aggressive and got me to roll over a couple of times,” d’Arnaud said.
After four shaky innings, Colon rebounded and retired 13 of the final 14 batters he faced. The right-hander surrendered three earned runs on 10 hits with seven strikeouts and no walks over eight innings.
The Braves grabbed a 2-0 lead at the start, giving Colon five straight appearances in which he has been scored upon in the first inning. Colon has allowed 18 runs in the first inning this season, giving him a 9.00 ERA in that frame.
“I’m just going to have to keep working hard to get through that,” Colon said.
In an effort to curtail Colon’s first-inning troubles, pitching coach Dan Warthen had the right-hander throw extra pitches in the bullpen, but that didn’t stop the Braves from getting three hits in the opening frame.
“I’m not sure he has a true feel for his offspeed stuff in the first inning,” Collins said. “He gets a better feel for it later in the game. I don’t know. We have certainly searched and searched and charted and haven’t come up with the answers.
“We’ve got to fix it. He’s too good a pitcher. You look at what he does and this guy gave us eight pretty good innings, but we can’t keep falling behind. When we’re swinging great anybody can fall behind, but when you’re facing a good team you have to give yourself a chance.”
The Mets are 5-2 on the homestand and will face the Marlins for three games beginning Friday before heading to the All-Star break.
David Wright’s RBI single in the third sliced the Braves’ lead to 3-1. Eric Young Jr. started the rally with a leadoff walk and stole second, giving him 23 stolen bases this season. Daniel Murphy drew a one-out walk before Wright delivered for his 44th RBI of the season.
Colon allowed two hits to begin the third, but escaped with only a run scoring, on Justin Upton’s double-play grounder.
Freddie Freeman’s RBI double in the first gave the Braves their initial run. Jason Heyward delivered an RBI single later in the inning that put the Mets in a 2-0 hole.