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The Mets recovered from starter Fernando Nieve’s early shellacking, but the bullpen wasted the effort Monday night during a 10-6 loss in Milwaukee.
Nieve got rocked for 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings, but he amazingly escaped with allowing just three earned runs. Reliever Elmer Dessens came in with the bases loaded in the fourth inning and got Ryan Braun to fly out to right, and Ryan Church threw a strike to Brian Schneider to nail Brad Looper at the plate for the double play.
Nieve, by the way, lost his no-hitter in the first inning when J.J. Hardy doubled to left, making it 7,557 New York Mets games without a no-no.
Dessens provided another strong inning of relief, allowing the Mets to climb back within one in the top of the sixth inning when Brian Schneider doubled home Church and Fernando Martinez.
Unfortunately, Casey McGehee tagged Brian Stokes for a grand slam in the bottom half of the sixth inning to seal the Mets fate. Pat Misch gave up a run in the seventh and Bobby Parnell gave up two in the eighth.
Church was 4-for-5 on the night with a run scored and Gary Sheffield went 3-for-5 with three RBIs – great performances, but the Mets have lost four straight.