Mets reshuffled lineup cant create spark in disappointing loss to Braves
ATLANTA — A.J.Ewing took over the leadoff spot Friday night, but reshuffling the cards didn’t get the Mets far.
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.A disappointing lineup remained on brand, and despite late noise brought little to the early Fourth of July party in a 5-3 loss to the Braves at Truist Park.Ewing went 0-for-3 in his debut atop the order on a night the Mets slumbered over the final six innings to drop a season-worst 16 games below .500.
The Braves had only five hits, but four were homers.Interim manager Andy Green indicated his plan is to keep Ewing at leadoff against right-handed pitching.Carson Benge, who was hitting in that spot, moved to fifth in the order.“What [Ewing] has done in his short stint in the big leagues, he’s putting up a (.375) on-base percentage against right-handed pitching, that is incredibly rare for a rookie,” Green said before the game.
“It fits his long-term skill set: speed, grinds at-bats, shoots the ball around the yard and it also fits Carson to be a middle-of-the-order type guy.“Carson filled into that spot ably, he slid into that spot before A.J.was called up to the big leagues and did a really nice job on that spot.
It doesn’t mean he won’t ever go back to that spot.”Christian Scott lasted only four innings, allowing three earned runs on two hits and four walks with seven strikeouts.Scott’s start was his shortest since May 18 at Washington (also four innings).
He departed after 82 pitches on this night.Michael Harris II blasted a two-run homer in the second to put the Mets in a 2-0 hole.Scott walked Mauricio Dubón leading off the inning before throwing a first-pitch fastball that Harris launched over the center-field fence.Soto tied it with a two-run homer in the third.
After Ewing reached on Matt Olson’s fielding error, Soto hit a shot just inside the left-field foul pole near the visitor’s...