#Much-needed Mets win includes several injury scares

ATLANTA — Just when the Mets should have been allowed to enjoy the gift of runs for their ace and a clear path to victory, players began departing Monday night.

None were opt outs.

Amed Rosario walked off the field before the bottom of the third inning with left quad tightness. Two innings later, Robinson Cano exited with left groin tightness. The casualties came after a pregame workout in with Jeff McNeil incurred lower back tightness and was scratched from the lineup.

The Mets got the win for Jacob deGrom, 7-2 over the Braves at Truist Park to snap a five-game losing streak, but now comes the possible challenge of trying to fill key infield spots. Monday’s game ended with Luis Guillorme at third, Andres Gimenez at shortstop and Brian Dozier at second base.

Cano, McNeil and Rosario will be evaluated before Tuesday’s game in Washington, according to Luis Rojas, but the manager wasn’t sure whether the Mets will have additional players in place in case reinforcements are needed.

“It was our fourth game here in Atlanta and coming in from [Sunday] it was real hot,” Rojas said. “It’s unfortunate it happened to three guys today.”

The Braves suffered the biggest blow of the night with the loss of ace right-hander Mike Soroka, who tore his right Achilles in the third inning and will miss the rest of the season. But watching an elite pitcher within the division fall wasn’t something the Mets needed to see.

“It kind of makes you sick, honestly,” Michael Conforto said. “He’s a bright star and we know he’ll come back.”

Cano was 2-for-2 with three RBIs and had raised his batting average to .412 before departing, but the Mets also don’t want to consider an extended stretch without key lineup pieces McNeil and Rosario, after Yoenis Cespedes on Sunday informed the team he was opting out on the season.

DeGrom lasted six innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits with 10 strikeouts and one walk for the win. DeGrom tied Tom Seaver for most starts in franchise history (25) with at least 10 strikeouts and one walk or less.

“I was having a hard time gripping the ball and made a couple of mistakes,” deGrom said. “I don’t like making mistakes, but the fortunate thing was we got a win.”

Travis d’Arnaud continued to pound Mets pitching, smashing a fifth-inning solo homer against his former batterymate. The blast was the first allowed by deGrom since Sept. 9 of last season, when Wilmer Flores homered against him.

“I guess I should stop facing my old teammates,” deGrom said. “D’Aranud has seen me a lot, so he probably had a pretty good idea about how I want to pitch. But it makes a little bit easier when I make some mistakes over the middle of the plate.”

Justin Wilson recorded the biggest out of the game, retiring Freddie Freeman on a grounder after Jeurys Familia had loaded the bases and was removed with two outs. Jared Hughes pitched the final two innings scoreless in his Mets debut. The veteran right-hander was added the roster Sunday after missing summer camp following a positive COVID-19 test and symptoms.

The Mets held a 3-0 lead in the third, when J.D. Davis hit a grounder to first base. Soroka broke to cover the bag and crumpled to the ground with the Achilles tear before getting helped from the field. Lefty Chris Rusin entered and walked Dominic Smith before Wilson Ramos delivered an RBI single.

The rally against Soroka started with Rosario’s leadoff single, on which he raced all the way to third base on Marcell Ozuna’s error in left field. After Brandon Nimmo walked, Conforto stroked an RBI single. Cano’s two-run single after a walk to Alonso extended the Mets’ lead to 3-0.

Cano delivered an RBI single in the fifth before Ramos cleared the fence in right-center for his first homer of the season, a two-run blast in the fifth that put the Braves in a 7-0 hole.

“We were in a little bit of a skid,” deGrom said. “We definitely needed a win. Short season, every game counts.”