Mets routed by Braves to snap streak of series wins

Tylor Megill was the kingpin of the Mets’ combined no-hitter last week and had the same mojo into the middle innings Wednesday.

But instead of receiving bullpen support, the right-hander watched an inferno erupt. Adam Ottavino never got an out in the sixth and soon the Braves had scored seven runs, after batting around.

The Mets’ franchise record string of series victories to begin a season died at seven with a 9-2 loss at Citi Field that produced a split in the four-game series. The Mets (18-9) will open another four-game series on Thursday in Philadelphia.

Ottavino, pitching for a third straight day, faced three batters and allowed a walk, double and single after the Braves had loaded the bases with one out in the sixth against Megill.

Adam Duvall’s two-run double, after Travis d’Arnaud had walked to force in the game’s first run, tilted the game in the Braves’ favor. Ottavino then threw a wild pitch that allowed another run before Dansby Swanson delivered with an RBI single. Ronald Acuna Jr.’s single against Trevor Williams brought in the inning’s sixth run and No. 7 scored during a botched rundown of Acuna between first and second.   

The Braves didn’t get their first hit against Megill until the fifth, giving the right-hander nine combined no-hit innings, including his start against the Phillies last Friday. Duvall’s single followed a Francisco Lindor fielding error to give the Braves a rally, but Megill escaped. Included were consecutive strikeouts of Guillermo Heredia and Acuna to end the inning.

Megill lasted 5 1/3 innings and allowed three earned runs on four hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. The strikeout total was a season high for Megill, who produced nine swings and misses with his four-seam fastball, which averaged 95 mph.

Heredia’s two-run homer against Williams in the eighth accounted for the Braves’ final runs.

Heredia reached near the top of the right-field fence in the second to steal an extra-base hit from Jeff McNeil leading off the inning. The Mets put two runners on base in the third, but neither Lindor nor Pete Alonso could deliver against Ian Anderson.