Spiraling Mets keep sinking to new lows with futile loss to Braves

This is no way for a team with serious playoff aspirations to live. 

The Mets have spent most of the season scuffling for runs, but not to the degree — aside from a Mardi Gras celebration of sorts on Saturday, with seven homers — they have displayed over the past 1 ½ weeks. 

Anybody home? 

Monday night was another exercise in futility for the Mets, who barely created a stir in a 3-2 loss to the Braves at Citi Field. 

It was a ninth loss in 10 games for the Mets and their fourth straight against the Braves over the past eight days.

In their nine losses since the calendar turned to — gasp, Friday the 13th — the Mets have scored two runs or fewer six times. 

Spencer Schwellenbach handled the Mets in a second straight start, firing seven strong innings in which Juan Soto’s two-run homer served as the only damage inflicted. 

Soto had another chance in the eighth, with the potential tying and go-ahead runs on third and first base, but struck out on a full-count slider from lefty reliever Dylan Lee to complete an eight-pitch plate appearance. Lee retired the Mets in order in the ninth. 

Paul Blackburn, in his third start of the season, allowed three earned runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 4 ²/₃ innings.

It was the second straight start in which Blackburn failed to complete five innings.

And it was a second straight outing by a Mets starter that went short: David Peterson lasted only four innings a night earlier. 

Blackburn drilled Ozzie Albies leading off the second, helping the Braves score their first run.

Albies stole second and reached third on Sean Murphy’s single before Michael Harris II hit a sacrifice fly. 

Ronald Acuña Jr. led off the second with a homer to center field, extending the Braves lead.

The homer was the second allowed by Blackburn this season.

The Mets deficit extended to 3-0 on Murphy’s sacrifice fly after Matt Olson doubled and reached third on a wild pitch. 

Brett Baty and Francisco Lindor each delivered a two-out single in the third, but both were left stranded as Schwellenbach retired Brandon Nimmo. 

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Soto’s third homer in three games pulled the Mets to within 3-2 in the sixth.

After Nimmo walked with two outs, Soto blasted a 1-1 sinker over the fence in left-center for his 17th homer this season — one behind Pete Alonso for the team lead.

Soto hit two of the Mets’ seven homers on Saturday in Philadelphia.

Baty singled leading off the frame, but Lindor’s ensuing grounder to first turned into a 3-6 double play before Nimmo’s walk reignited the inning. 

Lindor and Nimmo each singled with two outs in the eighth against Raisel Iglesias before Lee was summoned to strike out Soto.