Atlanta.- Pedro Martinez isn't making any apologies for his disappointing season or the New York Mets' most recent fall from first place.

"I've had a tough year, not only physically but mentally," he said. "A lot of distractions. I lost my dad, and I'm coming off surgery. I didn't pitch the first half of the season."

Kelly Johnson hit an RBI double off Martinez in Atlanta's three-run first inning, rookie Josh Anderson had three hits, and the Braves won 4-2 Saturday night to end the Mets' three-game winning streak.

Following Philadelphia's 3-2 win at Florida, New York dropped into second place in the NL East, a half-game behind the Phillies.

"The first inning hurt us, and we never overcame that," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "We didn't have much going offensively tonight, and that's what hurt us the most. We hit a few balls hard."

After an embarrassing collapse last year in which they failed to hold a seven-game lead with 17 remaining, the Mets held onto first place just one day before giving it back to Philadelphia.