Mets in Double Trouble

The clock is ticking on the New York Mets’ long-awaited postseason experience, and brave fronts won’t help them now.

The Atlanta Braves are focused, charging and eager to end the Mets’ emotional run. As if the Braves haven’t done enough already.

They damaged the Mets’ psyche in the regular season, and the Braves added to their anguish during a 4-3 come-from-behind victory in Game 2 of the National League championship series Wednesday at Turner Field.

Brian Jordan and Eddie Perez helped erase a 2-0 deficit in the sixth inning, hitting two-run home runs against Met starter and loser Kenny Rogers while igniting an announced crowd of 44,624.

Then, with a 4-3 lead in the ninth, the Braves summoned their Mr. October to finish the Mets.

Thunderous applause signaled pitcher John Smoltz’s arrival on the mound for the first relief appearance of his career. The major leagues’ all-time leader in postseason victories didn’t disappoint, overwhelming the Mets with his determination and a 95-mph fastball.

Smoltz pitched a perfect ninth, striking out pinch-hitter Bobby Bonilla looking, to earn a save and preserve the victory for starter Kevin Millwood, who has developed an impressive postseason reputation too.

Atlanta took a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. The series shifts to New York on Friday, and the struggling Mets understand what they’re facing.

“Obviously, we’re playing a great team, and everyone knows what the situation is,” said Met catcher Mike Piazza, who went hitless in three at-bats Wednesday. “No one wants to be [down 0-2], but at the same time, we know about the character of this team.

“People have counted us out a lot this season. We weren’t supposed to make the playoffs [after a late-season tailspin], we weren’t supposed to get to this point. But we’re here. This franchise hasn’t been here in a while [since 1988], and we’re going to keep playing hard. We just have to do the things that got us here.”

They rarely do against the playoff-tested Braves.

Only two teams have lost National League championship series after winning the first two games. The Braves don’t plan to become the third.

“This means a whole lot for us,” Atlanta center fielder Andruw Jones said of the 2-0 series lead. “This puts pressure on them because we’ve got two wins. If they put more pressure on themselves because they’re down 2-0, then they’re going to be in big trouble.”

Things appear that way now.

Second-year starter Millwood added to his suddenly impressive playoff resume. In his third strong postseason appearance, the right-hander gave up five hits and three runs (two earned) in 7 1/3 innings.

Millwood’s solid outing provided the foundation for the Braves’ 11th victory in 14 games against the Mets this season. The last two losses have put the Mets in a difficult position, and that’s just where the Braves want them.

“Going up 2-0 is a big plus for us,” said Millwood, who threw 70 strikes in his 116-pitch outing. “We’ve played well against these guys all year, and it gives us a lot of confidence to know we’re still playing well against them.”

On Wednesday, the Mets were better at the start.

They overcame the loss of all-world leadoff batter Rickey Henderson, who was forced to leave the game in the bottom of the second inning because of flulike symptoms. Rookie outfielder Melvin Mora replaced Henderson and provided a lift--homering in his first at-bat in the fifth against Millwood to give the Mets a 2-0 lead.

New York took a 1-0 lead in the second on a run-scoring single by Roger Cedeno.

Millwood pitched a one-hitter in Game 2 of the division series against Houston.

He wasn’t in that form against the Mets, but he was good enough.

Meanwhile, Rogers frustrated the Braves.

The left-hander kept the Braves off-balance with his assortment of off-speed stuff and his phenomenal pickoff move. Rogers’ move is considered among the best in baseball, and he showed why by picking off leadoff batter Gerald Williams in the first and Andruw Jones in the second.

The Mets also turned two double plays behind Rogers to help him keep the Braves scoreless through five innings despite being in constant trouble. His good fortune ended in the sixth.

With one out, Rogers walked Chipper Jones on a full count with Jordan on deck. The Astros also pitched around the National League’s leading most-valuable-player candidate during the division series only to be burned by Jordan.

The Mets can now relate.

On a 1-and-0 count, the cleanup batter hit a towering fly ball down the right-field line, and the ball hit the foul-pole net, tying the score, 2-2.

Andruw Jones then singled to left and Perez--whose homer in Game 1 accounted for the winning run--crushed Rogers’ first pitch to him, hitting his second homer of the series. The Braves had a 4-2 lead, and Met Manager Bobby Valentine had reason to second-guess himself.

“I should have [removed Rogers],” he said. “I had no reason to keep him in. I left him in and it was absolutely the wrong move.”

Edgardo Alfonzo’s run-scoring double--after Chipper Jones’ eighth-inning error--cut the lead to 4-3. Enter closer John Rocker.

Rocker struck out John Olerud and, after intentionally walking Piazza, got Robin Ventura swinging to end the inning.

Rocker pitched 1 1/3 innings in saving the Braves’ Game 1 victory.

Cox has been concerned about overusing his first-year closer, so Smoltz came to the Braves’ rescue in the ninth.

“That’s the thing about our team, we can look to so many guys to pick us up,” Smoltz said. “You can go down the line and trust that someone is going to get the job done. That’s why we’re in the position we are now.”

And the Mets are in their unenviable position.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

GAME 3

Friday, 5 p.m.,

Shea Stadium, New York

Channel 4

Atlanta

(Tom Glavine, 14-11, 4.12 ERA)

at

New York

(Al Leiter, 13-12, 4.23 ERA)

MET MISERY

Bobby Valentine and the Mets can’t seem to make any move that works against the Braves, Ross Newhan says. Page 7

John Smoltz made the first relief appearance of his career and helped the Braves take a 2-0 lead in the series. Page 7