Dickey gives up 3 homers, Mets fall 14-6 to Braves

ATLANTA – The weather was lousy. So was R.A. Dickey's knuckleball.

Dickey gave up three homers and eight runs in his worst outing in four years, and the New York Mets ended a .500 trip with a 14-6 loss to the Atlanta Braves.

There was light rain through the early innings, making it more difficult for Dickey to throw his specialty pitch.

"It's like throwing water balloons," Dickey said.

Dan Uggla ended a 0-for-24 slide against Dickey with a two-run homer. Juan Francisco and Freddie Freeman also hit two-run drives.

Francisco's homer came on a fastball. Uggla and Freeman hit knuckleballs for their first home runs this season.

"They wiggled up there but didn't do much movement," Dickey said of the pitches to Uggla and Freeman.

Mets manager Terry Collins said the wet weather "certainly had a huge effect."

"You've got to have a good grip on it and in the constant rain, it was really hard for him to throw," Collins said.

Dickey said the weather "can't be an excuse."

"I still have to find a way to keep us in the ballgame," he said, noting he has pitched in worse conditions. "Today I didn't give us a very good chance."

Ike Davis homered for New York, which completed a 3-3 trip. The Mets won the series opener against Atlanta before two straight lopsided losses.

"Anytime you'll take .500 on the road, but because we got started on the trip so well, it's a little disappointing the way it ended the last two days," Collins said.

Atlanta has won seven of eight since opening the season with four losses, including three straight in New York. The Braves set season highs for runs and hits (16). They scored 43 runs in going 5-1 on the homestand.

"Today's game, we just kept adding on," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "I thought it was one of those games where if you didn't, you'd be up against it. ... We've got the guys who are capable of doing it."

Uggla's homer capped a four-run third that gave Atlanta a 6-3 lead.

"It's a huge load off your shoulders, especially when you're kind of known for being a power hitter," Uggla said of his long wait for his first homer. "It was tough for me to shoulder. I was having dreams about it."

David Wright had three RBIs, tying Darryl Strawberry for the Mets' career record at 733.

Wright is hitting .500. Collins said Wright's strong start reminds him of Jeff Bagwell's 1994 MVP season.

"We're very happy for him," Collins said. "He came into spring training bound and determined to have a big year. He's off to a great start and it's fun to watch him play."

Francisco homered in the second and Freeman hit an opposite-field drive to left in the fifth that chased Dickey (2-1), who allowed eight runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings.

Atlanta has won seven of eight since opening the season with four losses, including three straight in New York.

Cristhian Martinez (1-0) gave up one run and three hits in two innings to win in relief of Jair Jurrjens, whose ERA rose to 8.10. Winless in three starts, Jurrjens allowed four runs, seven hits and four walks in four-plus innings.

Trailing 3-2, the Braves went ahead in the third on Martin Prado's two-run double. After Uggla's homer extended the lead, the Mets closed to 6-4 in the fifth on a run-scoring infield hit by Wright.

Freeman's homer made it 8-4 in the bottom half. New Mets leadoff hitter Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who had three hits and scored three runs, had an RBI single in a run in the sixth.

Chipper Jones had an RBI double in the bottom half against Bobby Parnell and scored on Michael Bourn's single for a 10-5 lead.

"It didn't matter who we threw out there today, it seemed like the balls were being hit all over the ballpark," Collins said.

NOTES: New York's Josh Thole has reached base safely in all 11 games he has played. ... Atlanta has won three straight series. ... Dickey's streak of 14 straight quality starts ended. He had not allowed eight runs since Aug. 8, 2008, for Seattle against the Chicago White Sox. ... Braves RHP Chad Durbin struck out pinch-hitter Scott Hairston to end the seventh with the bases loaded. ... There was light rain through most of the game before the sun emerged in the sixth. ... Bo Jackson threw out the ceremonial first pitch to promote his "Bo Bikes Bama" 300-mile bicycle ride on April 24-28 to raise money for areas in Alabama damaged by deadly tornadoes last year. ... The Braves open a four-game series at Arizona on Thursday night as LHP Mike Minor looks for his second straight win against the Diamondbacks' Josh Collmenter. ... The Mets, off on Thursday, open a four-game home series against the Giants on Friday with Barry Zito scheduled to face Jonathon Niese in a matchup of left-handers.