Mets Swept by Braves - NYTimes.com Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Freddie Freeman (5) capped a six-run fifth inning for the Braves with a three-run home run against Johan Santana. ATLANTA - The Mets until now had performed beyond their pedigree, veering enjoyably from the dismal fate others had determined for them before the season began. They emerged from the All-Star break last week hoping to carry on this way, rested and regenerated. Instead, they appear to be regressing toward their flaws, and with their 6-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Sunday afternoon, they added a dour coda to the three-game weekend series at Turner Field. The Mets, who lost 9 of 11 games after the break in 2010 and 6 of 10 in 2012, have now lost their first three second-half games this season. The team had entered the recess hoping this campaign would play out differently than the previous two. It may still, but only if the current trend is reversed. Part of the optimism this year has been rooted in the club's strong core of starting pitchers, but even they have begun to waver. Johan Santana, who this season completed a comeback from serious injury, was bested by an opponent who may be just starting one of his own. Ben Sheets, 33, had last pitched in the major leagues on July 19, 2010, shortly before he had Tommy John surgery. His arduous journey took a positive turn Sunday as he stood on the mound, Braves jersey baggy over his large frame, and efficiently dispatched the Mets. His fastball was clocked as high as 93 miles per hour, and he complemented it with a curveball in the mid-70s. He pitched six innings, walked one batter and struck out five. The only two hits he allowed came in the third, but he worked out of that jam, inducing an inning-ending flyout from David Wright, who had gotten ahead in the count, 2-0. Santana had been scheduled to start Friday, but his outing was pushed back as a precaution after he felt some soreness in his ankle, which he turned awkwardly in his last game. He gave up a season-high seven runs in that game. On Sunday, he matched Sheets for a spell, but then he had his afternoon upended disastrously in the fifth. Santana allowed a double and a walk to open the inning. One out later, he gave up a soft double to left to Michael Bourn, which made the score 1-0. After the run crossed home, Dan Warthen, the Mets" pitching coach, went out to the mound to speakwith Santana, but soon Warthen was jabbing his finger aggressively in the face of the home plate umpire, C.B. Bucknor. Manager Terry Collins, who was thrown out of Saturday's game, jogged out to quell the argument, but Warthen was ejected anyway. After that, Martino Prado came up and lifted a sacrifice fly to left and then Jason Heyward pulled a run-scoring single through the infield to make the score 3-0. The carnage continued. After Chipper Jones lined a base hit to center, Freddie Freeman, one of four left-handed hitters in the Braves" lineup Sunday, crushed a three-run homer into the stands in right-center field. When the inning finally came to a close, with six fresh runs on the scoreboard, the only ones the Braves would need, Santana directed some words toward Bucknor as well. He then went to the dugout and remained there, his afternoon over with eight hits, two walks, and three strikeouts under his belt. The Mets scored in the seventh, after Sheets had exited the game, when Andress Torres poked a run-scoring single into left field. Right fielder Lucas Duda was out of the lineup for the second straight game with tightness in his left hamstring muscle. He will be examined by a doctor Monday, though Terry Collins said it was unlikely Duda would end up on the disabled list.