Mets suffer yet another devastating loss as season seemingly slipping away

The free-falling New York Mets suffered what might have been their worst loss of the season (so far?) on Wednesday night, Aug. 13, when they blew a six-run lead and fell to the Atlanta Braves 11-6.

After reeling off a seven-game winning streak from July 20-27, the Mets have now lost 12 of their past 14 games and have gone from leading the National League East division by 1½ games to trailing the first-place Philadelphia Phillies by 5.

"We’ve had some tough ones, but I wouldn’t say worst loss of the season," manager Carlos Mendoza said. "They all count the same, but it sucks to lose a game when you’re up six right away."

After snapping a seven-game skid the night before, the Mets appeared to have found some momentum against a fading Braves team.

Pete Alonso, who became the Mets' all-time home run leader on Tuesday, drove in two runs in the first inning, and Juan Soto hit a two-run homer in the second as New York pounced on Atlanta starter Carlos Carrasco.

But the Braves erased that six-run deficit by scoring nine times in the fourth inning, capped by a grand slam from Michael Harris II.

"We have got coaches right now looking at pretty much everything," Mendoza said. "Trying to figure out how we can continue to help these guys, especially the guys from the rotation because we know the talent is there."

Despite their struggles, the Mets (64-56) would still make the playoffs if the season ended today. They're one game ahead of the Cincinnati Reds for the NL's final wild card spot.

NL playoff picture

Division leaders

1. Milwaukee Brewers 76-44
2. Philadelphia Phillies 69-51
3. San Diego Padres 69-52

Wild card leaders

1. Chicago Cubs 68-51, +4.5 games ahead
2. Los Angeles Dodgers 68-53, +3.5 games ahead
3. New York Mets 64-56
4. Cincinnati Reds 64-58, 1 game behind
5. St. Louis Cardinals 61-61, 4 games behind

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Mets blow 6-run lead, lose for 12th time in 14 games