Good wasnt good enough for the weekend. After winning the first two games of this series against the depleted Marlins, the Mets with a challenging schedule ahead needed to finish busine s Sunday with a sweep. Instead they received a weak offensive performance and shoddy bullpen work in a 3-2 lo s at Citi Field that left the Mets at 3-3 on the homestand. Jonah Bride scores the go-ahead run for the Marlins on Aug. 18. Robert Sabo for the NY Post Mark Vientos reacts after getting thrown out at the plate on Aug. 18. Robert Sabo for the NY Post Their next 10 games feature the Orioles, Padres and Diamondbacks all strong playoff contenders so Sunday was nothing le s than an opportunity lost for the Mets, who are two games behind Atlanta for the NLs third wild card. In a game Brandon Nimmo following a diving catch he will undergo an MRI exam today the Mets went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and watched Huascar Brazoban and Reed Garrett flush a late lead. You would like to do better facing the teams that arent nece sarily in playoff contention, said Nimmo, whose Mets lost two of three games against the As last week. Explore More But also we had a little bit of a rough go there for the schedule [on the last road trip]. You would have liked to do better, but these [upcoming] games mean as much to them as they do to us, so there will be a lot of pre sure riding on these games and when that happens, I think it brings a lot of the best out of teams and people and youre going to see some real competitive games over these next couple of weeks. The Mets Kyle Freeland Jersey last shot Sunday came in the ninth, but after Jose Iglesias and Tyrone Taylor reached on succe sive singles to begin the inning, Jeff McNeil, Francisco Lindor and Mark Vientos were retired in succe sion. McNeil, with runners on first and second, was unsucce sful in his attempts to sacrifice bunt before striking out. Lindor followed with a shot that, off the bat, initially appeared as if it would win the game for the Mets. But Derek Hill tracked it in deep center. I thought it had a chance at least of hitting the wall, Lindor said. I didnt think I fully got it. I am obviously not strong enough to hit it dead center. Brandon Nimmo homered for the Mets before later exiting with right shoulder discomfort. Robert Sabo for the NY Post Paul Blackburn gave the Mets a third strong start in four since joining the club at the trade deadline. The right-hander lasted six innings and allowed one earned run on four hits and one walk with four strikeouts over 92 pitches. Vientos got thrown out at the plate to end the first after tagging up from second base on Pete Alonsos long drive to center field. On the play, Hill who hit the fence and fell flipped the ball to right fielder Jesus Sanchez, who fired to the cutoff. Vientos had easily reached third and received the green light from coach Mike Sarbaugh, but was tagged out at the plate following a strong throw for a unique 8-9-4-2 double play. It took them two perfect throws and it was early in the game, manager Carlos Mendoza said in defending Sarbaughs decision to send Vientos. Taylor tried for a diving catch in center on Otto Lopezs line drive in the third, but mi sed. Lopez raced to third with a leadoff triple and scored the games first run on Nick Fortes sacrifice fly. Lindors RBI single tied it 1-1 in the fifth. Je se Winker singled leading off the inning and Jose Iglesias walked. Lindor delivered with two outs, but Vientos struck out to leave two runners on base. Nimmo crushed Valente Bellozos second pitch of the sixth inning for a homer to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. Nimmo jumped on a changeup and sent it into the second deck in right field. The blast was Nimmos second of the series, after returning from a stomach bug that sidelined him on Thursday. Francisco LIndor drove in a run for the Mets during their lo s to the Marlins on Aug. 18. Robert Sabo for the NY Post Brazoban allowed the tying run in the seventh. Following Emmanuel Riveras infield single that put runners on the corners, Brazoban unloaded a wild pitch that tied it 2-2. Delivering insights on all things Amazins Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Nimmos diving catch in left field robbed Fortes of a potential go-ahead single, ending the threat after Garrett entered with two outs and two runners on base. But Nimmo, with the shoulder barking, departed after batting in the seventh. Hills single against Phil Maton in the eighth put the Mets in a 3-2 hole. Garrett walked three batters in the inning, but picked off Xavier Edwards from second. The free bases, any time you are playing in a tie game like that, they are going to come back and bite you, Mendoza said. Riley Pint Jersey