Dedniel Núñez faced another setback in his return to the Mets bullpen Wednesday night, allowing three runs without recording an out in the seventh inning of the team's 6-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. The defeat secured a series loss for New York.
Núñez entered the game with the Mets trailing by one run. He proceeded to give up two home runs and a third run, further complicating his comeback after Tommy John surgery. This outing highlights the volatility in the Mets' bullpen, especially following recent trade deadline moves that sent several key relievers to other teams, coupled with Devin Williams' placement on the injured list.
The Mets' offense struggled throughout the game, failing to place a runner in scoring position until the ninth inning. Their three runs came from solo home runs. Zac Thornton, the starting pitcher, delivered a respectable performance, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and one walk over six innings. The rookie left-hander has maintained a 2.78 ERA and completed at least six innings in five of his last seven starts.
Thornton surrendered the game's first run in the second inning on a solo home run by Lane Thomas. The Braves extended their lead to 2-0 in the third when Ronald Acuña Jr. walked, Drake Baldwin singled, and Matt Olson drove in a run on a ground ball that resulted in a force out.
Acuña's RBI single in the fifth inning pushed the Braves' lead to 3-0. The Mets managed to cut into the deficit in the sixth inning with Luis Torrens' solo home run, his third of the road trip and fifth of the season. Luis Robert Jr. then hit another solo homer in the seventh, making the score 3-2.
However, Núñez's appearance in the bottom of the seventh quickly shifted momentum back to the Braves. He allowed consecutive home runs to Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Riley, putting the Mets in a 5-2 hole. Acuña then doubled to bring in a third run for the inning, extending the lead to 6-2. Bo Bichette hit a solo home run in the ninth for the Mets' final run of the game.