NEW YORK --- A dreadful bullpen is making it awfully difficult for the New York Mets to avoid another September meltdown.
Fill-in closer Luis Ayala gave up a go-ahead, pinch-hit homer to Greg Norton, and the Atlanta Braves rallied for five runs in the ninth inning Sunday and a 7-4 win that trimmed New York's tenuous NL East lead to 11/2 games.
"These are tough losses, especially this time of the year," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "We've been dealt many tough blows. We've got to see if we can make it back."
Wasting two homers by David Wright and a strong start from Oliver Perez, the Mets lost for the ninth time in 30 games, dropping two of three to the fourth-place Braves (67-83).
The Mets have 27 blown saves. They began the day tied for third-most in the majors.
Ayala (2-9) began the ninth with a 4-2 lead but allowed consecutive singles to Casey Kotchman and Kelly Johnson. Norton then drove a full-count delivery into the Mets' right-field bullpen -- appropriately -- for a 5-4 Atlanta edge.
"I tried to throw my sinker down and away. The ball stayed in the middle," Ayala said.
After Ayala was lifted, the Braves tacked on two more. Gregor Blanco hit an RBI double off Pedro Feliciano, and Corky Miller's sacrifice fly against Brian Stokes made it 7-4.
Jorge Julio (2-0) worked a scoreless eighth for the win.
The Mets tried to make a comeback of their own in the bottom of the ninth, putting their first two batters on. But Mike Gonzalez retired the next three for his 11th save in 12 chances.
"Our bullpen the entire series held for us. Both wins were because of the bullpen," Braves manager Bobby Cox said.
"It was fitting, with all the close games the two teams have played over the years," Atlanta slugger Chipper Jones said. "We're a prideful bunch over here. We've been sitting where they are sitting now many times. ... We're not going to roll over. If they're going to beat us, they're going to earn it."
GOODBYE TO SHEA
NEW YORK --- Despite a stiff back, Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones went 3-for-5 with an RBI and run scored on Sunday, his final game played at Shea Stadium.
A nemesis for the Mets over the years, Jones named one of his sons Shea. The second-youngest of the slugger's four boys, Shea and his family came out to the stadium Saturday morning to take pictures on the field and let the little guy run around the bases.
"The funny thing is, I don't really think he knows how famous he is in this town," said Jones, who hit his first major league home run at Shea Stadium. "Because, from the second we got out of the car, walking through the people and here at the stadium, all the people who work here at the stadium, they want to know, 'Which one is Shea?' "
The Mets plan to move next year into a new ballpark, Citi Field. Jones wanted some keepsakes from the old place to put in his house, so he paid full price -- $869 -- to secure a pair of orange, field-level seats.
Jones finished with a .313 batting average, 19 homers and 55 RBI in 88 games at Shea.
-- Associated Press
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