Mets’ rally for naught as Braves hold on to win

NEW YORK — The mark of good teams is often beating poor ones. Last year, the Mets fattened up on the Braves, Phillies, Reds, Rockies and others, all of whom finished with losing records. Their renaissance this year dovetailed with the softest portion of their schedule.

But the Braves, a thorn in New York’s side for decades, are no longer playing along. In coming from behind to win a 5-4 game over the Mets on Tuesday, the Braves improved to 9-9 against the Mets this season, putting their rival’s playoff chances in jeopardy. The loss temporarily shaved the Mets’ National League Wild Card lead to just a half-game over the Cardinals and Giants.

The common thread in many of those Braves victories has been starting pitcher Julio Teheran, whose seven innings of one-run ball made him 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA against the Mets this season. After allowing Asdrubal Cabrera’s RBI double in the third inning, Teheran retired 15 of the final 16 batters he faced.

Atlanta’s offense broke through against Robert Gsellman in the sixth, tying the game on a pop single that fell in between Curtis Granderson and Jay Bruce, before taking the lead for good on a bases-loaded walk. An inning later, Adonis Garcia gave the Braves some needed insurance with a three-run homer off Jerry Blevins, taking the punch out of a late Mets rally.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDI (don’t) got it: It was an outfield miscommunication that poured gasoline on Atlanta’s two-run rally in the sixth. After Gsellman allowed a pair of one-out singles and a walk, Matt Kemp lifted a fly ball to right-center that Statcast™ measured at a 79-mph exit velocity and 31-degree …

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