A rough eighth inning, combined with missed chances at the plate, sank the New York Mets in Sunday’s finale at Truist Park, as they dropped a 4-3 decision to the Atlanta Braves.

Mark Vientos provided the early highlight for New York, drilling a two-run homer in the second off Bryce Elder for his 12th of the season. Juan Soto later chipped in an RBI single, while Cedric Mullins made an impact by reaching base twice, stealing two bases, and scoring a run. Still, the Mets couldn’t capitalize when it mattered most, going just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and stranding 10 runners overall.

David Peterson kept the Mets in front early, striking out eight over 5 2/3 innings while yielding two runs on five hits and four walks. Brooks Raley and Huascar Brazobán followed with scoreless relief, but Gregory Soto couldn’t preserve a one-run lead in the eighth. After a single and a walk, Sean Murphy delivered the decisive blow, lining a two-out, two-run single to center that put Atlanta on top.

Elder settled down after Vientos’ blast to work six innings of two-run ball, and Atlanta’s bullpen did just enough. Tyler Kinley tossed a clean eighth for the win, and Raisel Iglesias recorded his 22nd save, navigating traffic in the ninth to finish it off.

The Mets managed just six hits total from Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Mark Vientos, Ronny Mauricio, Luis Torrens, and Cedric Mullins, but couldn’t convert when it counted. Jeff McNeil reached twice, drawing a walk and taking a hit-by-pitch, though he left three runners stranded.

Pete Alonso endured a tough afternoon, going 0-for-5 with a strikeout and stranding two. His biggest missed chances came in the third, when he grounded out with two aboard, and again in the seventh, when he rolled into another out with the bases loaded and two away, missing a chance to break the game open.

New York nearly flipped the script in the ninth, loading the pressure on Braves closer Raisel Iglesias. After getting pinch-hitter Brandon Nimmo to fly out, Mullins got on with a single. Lindor added a base hit of his own, and Soto drove in a run with a single to right, cutting the deficit to one. But with two men still on, Iglesias recovered to retire Alonso and McNeil in order, shutting down the comeback bid and sealing Atlanta’s victory.

Player of the Game: Mark Vientos

Playing first base, Mark Vientos continued his latest hot streak by hitting a two-run homer against Braves starter Bryce Elder to homer in three consecutive at-bats. He would go 1-for-4 on the afternoon with a run scored.

On Deck

The Mets return home to Citi Field on Monday night to open a key series against the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies. Kodai Senga (7-5, 2.58 ERA) gets the start for New York, facing off against Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sánchez (11-4, 2.46 ERA). First pitch is set for 7:10 pm ET, with coverage on SNY and Audacy Mets Radio 880 AM.