Final Score (in 10 innings): Braves 4, Mets 3

Terry Collins ultimately blew a game the Mets really didn’t deserve to win in the first place. The Braves handed the Mets two runs in the first inning as a result of two errors. And then Terry mismanaged the bullpen and failed to pinch run in a key spot. Those poor managerial decisions cost the Mets a chance at victory.

The Freebie Runs: In the first inning, Jose Reyes walked and with one out Yoenis Cespedes hit a ball to third base and reached on a throwing error by Adonis Garcia. Then Curtis Granderson hit a double play ball up the middle and second baseman Jace Peterson made an error. That error allowed Reyes to score and made it 1-0. Then Jay Bruce hit another double play ball to the first baseman, but he managed to beat the throw to first base. Yo scored and that made it 2-0. In the first inning the Mets basically hit nothing but Taylor made double play balls and the Braves handed them two runs.

Big Sex: Bartolo Colon pitched 6 innings and gave up 3 runs on 4 hits (2 homers). He certainly gave the Mets a chance to win. He ran into some early trouble in the first inning when the first two batters reached base. But Wilmer Flores made a diving stop at first base of a Freddie Freeman hot shot, and he was able to make the throw and get the force out at second base. Then Matt Kemp hit a sac fly to make it 2-1, but that was the only damage of the inning. Nick Markakis also took him deep in the fourth inning to tie the game at 2.

One Note On The Sex: Big Sexy came up in the second inning with a man on first base and one out, and he hit into another double play. Can we please stop letting him swing with one out and men on base? Make him bunt for Christ’s sake.

Slugger Pendulum: In the fifth inning Yoenis Cespedes took the lead right back for the Mets with a solo shot off of starter John Gant. Tolo coughed it right back up in the 6th inning when Matt Kemp launched a solo shot to tie the game at 3.

The Play At Home: In the 8th inning Wilmer Flores hit a two out double off of lefty Ian Krol. Terry then pinch hit for Kelly Johnson with T.J. Rivera to get the righty lefty matchup. But Terry never pinch ran for Wilmer despite his expanded roster bench. He admitted after the game he straight up fell asleep at the wheel. Rivera slapped a single to right field and Wilmer was gunned down at the plate. So Terry blew it. That’s obviously one blunder here. The other thing that pissed me off was A.J. Pierzynski was blocking home plate. When he fielded the throw he moved more directly in the way of home plate. That’s why it wasn’t a violation of the rule. But that’s BS. It wasn’t a rule violation because MLB doesn’t care about the home plate rule anymore. It’s not a hot button issue so they aren’t going to re-hash it this year. But the bottom line is Wilmer had no lane to score and Keith said the truth during the broadcast. He said Wilmer had no choice but to barrel over the catcher. And that’s supposed to be what the rule eliminated from the game. Sooooo it doesn’t work. On a night where the Dodgers pulled starter Rich Hill while he was throwing a perfect game, we can see how the game has changed but also how it remains the same. Collisions forever!

Terry’s Blunder Count: So Terry failed to pinch run. He also brought in Hansel Robles for one batter in the 9th inning, and then brought in Jerry Blevins for the lefties. So he burned one of his top relievers. As a result of that decision he went to Erik Goeddel in the bottom of the 10th instead of Robles and Goeddel was rocked. He gave up two singles, threw a wild pitch, and only recorded one out. Josh Smoker ultimately gave up the walk-off hit but Goeddel laid the foundation for the loss.

Thank God It Ended: If that game went on any longer last night Terry was going to find a way to burn every player and pitcher on the expanded roster.

Today: The Mets fell out of the Wild Card spot last night. Old blister finger Seth Lugo needs to find a way to win the rubber game today. Let’s go baby.