updated 6:48 p.m. ET Sept. 14, 2008

NEW YORK - A dreadful bullpen is making it awfully difficult for the New York Mets to avoid another September meltdown.

It seems manager Jerry Manuel has tried nearly every reliever in multiple roles. So there’s not much left for him to do besides hand someone the ball and cross his fingers.

Fill-in closer Luis Ayala gave up a go-ahead homer to pinch-hitter Greg Norton, and the Atlanta Braves rallied for five runs in the ninth inning Sunday and a 7-4 victory. The Mets’ lead in the NL East was cut to one game by Philadelphia, which swept a doubleheader from Milwaukee.

“These are tough losses, especially this time of the year,” Manuel said. “We’ve been dealt many tough blows. We’ve got to see if we can make it back.”

Wasting two homers by David Wright and a strong start from Oliver Perez, the Mets lost for the ninth time in 30 games.

The Mets squandered a seven-game cushion with 17 to play last year, letting Philadelphia charge past them for the division title in one of the worst collapses in baseball history.

Desperately trying to erase those painful memories, New York had 17 games remaining coming into this series and dropped two of three to the fourth-place Braves (67-83).

“Coming down the stretch at this point, every loss will probably be a reminder of what happened last year,” Manuel said. “What we have to do as a team is get through it. We’ve got to finish.”

That’s been a problem all season.

The Mets have 27 blown saves — they began the day tied for third-most in the majors. This was their 11th blown save in the ninth inning. New York entered Sunday tied for third-most in that category as well, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“We need to pick each other up. We all know they’re trying to do their best,” Carlos Beltran said. “Right now, things aren’t working for them, but that doesn’t mean they’re not going to pitch better.”

Missing injured closer Billy Wagner for the rest of the year, the bullpen failed to hold an eighth-inning lead for Johan Santana in the opener of Saturday’s doubleheader and flopped again Sunday.

Despite the deflating loss, New York had some fun after the game with a familiar hazing ritual. Young players were dressed up as Olympic swimmers — fake medals, goggles, skintight swimsuits — as the team left town for its final road trip of the season.

“The next Michael Phelps,” a smiling Pedro Martinez said, pointing at 6-foot-7 Mike Pelfrey. “Don’t rip it. You’re still going to have to wear it.”

Ayala (2-9) began the ninth with a 4-2 lead but allowed consecutive singles to Casey Kotchman and pinch-hitter Kelly Johnson. Norton then drove a full-count delivery into the Mets’ right-field bullpen — appropriately — for a 5-4 Atlanta edge.

It was Norton’s third pinch-hit homer this season.

“I tried to throw my sinker down and away. The ball stayed in the middle,” Ayala said.

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