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The Atlanta Braves scored five unearned runs Monday night to spoil another strong Johan Santana start and beat the New York Mets 8-3 at Citi Field.
The loss halts the Mets’ win streak at 7.
Santana lost his no-hitter on the second batter when Yunel Escobar hit an infield hit to deep short, making it 7,513 New York Mets games without a no-hitter. After Escobar advanced to second on a Martin Prado single, Matt Diaz hit a chopper over third base that David Wright fielded nicely several steps behind the bag.
But Wright threw the ball in the dirt and Fernando Tatis, who was filling in for Carlos Delgado, couldn’t dig it out and Escobar was able to score. It was scored a base hit and a throwing error, so the run was unearned.
The Mets got their run in fifth after back-to-back one-out singles by Fernando Tatis and Jeremy Reed put runners at first and third. Catcher Omir Santos followed with a sacrifice fly to right to make it 1-1.
Santana got out No. 1 in seventh before giving up a Kelly Johnson single that ended his night. Reliever Bobby Parnell got the second out after Escobar singled, and Pedro Felicano got Brian McCann to hit a grounder up the middle to Jose Reyes, but Reyes mishandled it and everyone was safe.
Diaz and Casey Kotchman followed with singles that each drove in two runs and the Braves were up 5-1.
David Wright doubled in the bottom of the seventh and Tatis got him home on a ground-out for the Mets’ second run.
Santos singled home Tatis in the ninth for run No. 3.
Santana pitched 6 1/3 innings, giving up the two runs (both unearned) on seven htis and a walk. He struck out six and actually lowered his ERA to 0.78.
