ATLANTA — Huascar Brazobán’s worst performance of the season threatened to send the Mets to a doozy of a loss Sunday.
That was before Devin Williams recorded the final two outs in the ninth inning and the Mets escaped with a 10-9 victory over the Braves.
Brazobán, who began the day with a 1.94 ERA, was working with a seven-run lead as he began the final frame. He departed after allowing five earned runs, including a Drake Baldwin grand slam.
It’s possible that rust — Brazobán was working for the first time in eight days — played a factor.
“There’s waves of usage throughout the season, so guys get used a ton,” interim manager Andy Green said, referring to Brazobán’s 36 appearances.
“He has been used a ton, and then you have stretches where your situation doesn’t arise. He’s a guy that has been ridden all year. He had a gap in the number of times he’s been on the mound. He can handle all that. He’s that type of a pitcher.”
Brazobán allowed four hits and a walk in the ninth. He also committed a throwing error on a pickoff attempt that allowed Mauricio Dubón to score. Baldwin’s grand slam was the first homer allowed by Brazobán since June 2.
“He’s been unbelievable for us all year,” Green said. “His ERA is at [3.00] after what just happened; that just tells you how good he’s been for us all year, and it wasn’t his day out there.”
Williams entered with the Mets ahead 10-8 and struck out Ozzie Albies for the second out. But Matt Olson doubled and Michael Harris II followed with an RBI single. Dubón’s ensuing single — he took second on the throw — put the tying run at third and the winning run at second. Williams then struck out Dominic Smith to end it.
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The Mets received shutdown appearances earlier from Brooks Raley and Luke Weaver, each of whom pitched a scoreless frame. Weaver extended his scoreless streak to 25 innings since May 1.
“There’s a lot of good things to take out of this baseball game,” Green said. “We’re going to take the good out of it.”
