Dedniel Nunezs latest Mets chance hits another bump with ugly outing in loss to Braves

ATLANTA — Dedniel Núñez was a key piece to the Mets bullpen for two seasons, but his return to the team after Tommy John surgery hasn’t gone smoothly.Wednesday night he had an ugly seventh inning that helped send the Mets to a series loss with a 6-3 defeat against the Braves at Truist Park.Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.

Núñez entered with the Mets behind by one run and proceeded to allow three runs — including two home runs — while retiring only one batter.Such is the volatility of the Mets bullpen following the trade deadline deals that sent Luke Weaver, Huascar Brazobán, A.J.Minter and Brooks Raley elsewhere.

In addition, Devin Williams is on the injured list with a right shoulder strain.Big showings in Cleveland and Pittsburgh and an impressive opener at Truist Park this week offered the Mets hope that surging bats would lead to a third straight series victory.No such luck.The Mets were shut out Monday — and before that Saturday in Pittsburgh.

In their six victories on the trip, they averaged 8.3 runs.On this night, they did not place a runner in scoring position until the ninth inning.

Three solo homers accounted for their runs.Zac Thornton was respectable, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and one walk over six innings.The rookie lefty has pitched to a 2.78 ERA and completed at least six innings in five of his last seven starts.Thornton allowed a homer to Lane Thomas with two outs in the second inning for the game’s first run.

Thomas crushed a high cutter over the left field fence — the third homer allowed by Thornton over his past four starts.The Mets deficit increased to 2-0 in the third.Thornton walked Ronald Acuña Jr.

leading off the inning and Drake Baldwin singled before Matt Olson’s double-play grounder brought in the run.Jared Young singled to right field leading off the fifth but was thrown out by Acuña trying t...