Mets Stumble in 12th and Fall Below .500 Throughout their roller-coaster campaign, for all their defects and imperfections and unpredictability, the Mets could always invoke their record as a symbol of positivity. In their 95th game, the Mets lost, 8-3, in 12 innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers to plunge below .500 for the first time this season. The descent to a 47-48 record has been rapid for the Mets, who extended their losing streak to five games and have dropped 9 of 10 over all. Late in the game, which lasted 4 hours 43 minutes, the Mets revealed a flash of their celebrated pluck, which seemed to have disappeared in recent weeks. With the Mets down by 3-2, Ruben Tejada opened the ninth inning with a single to left. He advanced to second on Jordany Valdespin's sacrifice bunt and had a chance to score when David Wright sent a base hit sharply up the middle. But second baseman Mark Ellis smothered it before it reached the outfield, keeping Tejada at third. Tejada did score, though, when Ike Davis chopped a ball to first base, where James Loney bobbled it while trying to get the out at home. Settling for the out at first, Loney let the Mets even the score at 3-3. But the Dodgers restored their lead in the top of the 12th, as pinch-hitter Matt Treanor came up against Ramon Ramirez with the bases loaded and smacked a two-run single through the middle of the infield. Luis Cruz followed with a run-scoring single of his own, putting the Dodgers up, 6-3, and sending many of the remaining fans toward the exits. Adam Kennedy's two-run double over the head of Lucas Duda in right field turned the game into a blowout at 8-3 and scattered the crowd some more. Jon Niese pitched into the eighth inning for the Mets, giving up three runs and eight hits. He struck out three batters and did not issue a walk. It was a solid contribution for a staff that has been shaky of late, but he finished the day with little to show for his effort. The Mets first fell behind in the fourth, when Juan Rivera came up with a runner on base and slammed a 2-1 cutter from Niese deep into the left-field seats, making the score 2-0. The Dodgers added another off Niese in the sixth, when Andre Ethier's single drove Mark Ellis home from second. Niese was pulled after giving up two straight singles to open the eighth and sulked off the field, shoulders slumped, even as he received a warm ovation from the crowd. When he reached the dugout, he slammed his glove onto the bench before taking a seat. The Mets were baffled at first and blanked through the first three innings by Nathan Eovaldi, a 22-year-old right-hander who started the day with a 1-6 record and 4.33 earned run average in his nine previous starts this year. They got going finally in the fourth, producing three hits off Eovaldi and scoring their first run of the game when Josh Thole pulled a single into right field. The Mets chipped away in the seventh. Davis hit a two-out double off Shawn Tolleson into the right-field corner, and he raced home, cutting the deficit to 3-2, when Murphy floated a single to left. The Mets recalled Elvin Ramirez, a 24-year-old right-hander, from Class AAA and designated Miguel Batista for assignment. Batista, 41, had a 4.82 earned run average in 30 games this season. The Mets have not decided who they will next use as their fifth starter. ... Frank Francisco (oblique muscle) threw 40 pitches during a bullpen session Sunday morning at Citi Field and remained on track to pitch in a rehabilitation game this week.