Todd Hundley, in just his 3rd game back from elbow surgery, knocked in his first 2 RBI of the season with a 2-run single in the 3rd, and that would be all the Mets would muster against John Smoltz. Actually, Andruw Jones had caught Hundley's shallow flyball on a diving attempt, but when he landed the ball came out of his glove. If he held on to the ball, the Mets get shutout.

The Mets did, like always, have additional chances to score but came up short. In the 7th, Rey Ordonez led off with a single and Lenny Harris walked as a pinch-hitter for Bobby Jones. Bobby V then had Edgardo Alfonzo bunting to sacrifice the runners over, but Fonzie couldn't get the job done, ultimately striking out on a foul bunt attempt instead of swinging away with 2 strikes. He went back to the dugout visibly upset, something you rarely saw out of him, and even went down the tunnel with a bat to take out some frustrations off-camera. The Braves had John Rocker ready in the bullpen to face the lefty John Olerud next, but they opted to stick with Smoltz, and he got Olerud to fly out to LF. That left it up to Mike Piazza, who took a few mighty hacks but ultimately grounded out weakly to the pitcher to end the inning. The crowd booed as loud as I could remember thus far into the 1998 season, probably both in combination of Piazza's failed effort to come up clutch, and the team's group effort in coming up empty with 2 on and none out.

Ordonez's hit was the only one the two teams would get over the final 4 innings, with the Mets having their last 9 retired in order. Taking a peak at the next game's final score, it looks like things would get much worse from here. At this point in time, I'd be very tempted as the Mets GM to pull the plug on this season, trade away any impending free agents (including Piazza), and start over in 1999. Nothing over the course of the previous month and a half has convinced me this team has any chance at competing for a playoff spot.