Just a week ago, the Mets were playing reasonably well and could at least dream about a Red Sox-like surge to vault them into postseason contention. 

Since then, the faintest of pulses has become completely undetectable. 

Reverting to the team that found different ways to lose in the season’s first half, the Mets dropped their third straight and fourth in five games Friday, 3-1 to the Astros at Citi Field. 

The losing streak is their longest since Aug. 2 — one day before president of baseball operations David Stearns finished his trade deadline roster overhaul. 

Offensively, the Mets were muted by Hunter Brown, who surrendered one earned run on five hits with 10 strikeouts over 6 ²/₃ innings. The Mets went hitless against Houston’s bullpen. 

On the other side, Christian Scott was on the verge of a superb outing into the sixth. But the right-hander lost the strike zone in that inning, walking three batters, all of whom scored as inherited runners for lefty Nate Lavender. 

“I just didn’t feel like I did a good job executing the sixth inning,” Scott said. “I didn’t get a lot of whiffs today, so I felt the defense played really well. I just didn’t throw the ball well in the sixth.” 

Scott has only completed the sixth inning in two starts this season, so interim manager Andy Green saw an opportunity for growth by allowing the right-hander to continue through the middle of the order. It didn’t work out. 

“I did think today was a good day to kind of test him,” Green said. “He had been pitch-efficient through five [innings], going the third time through, and he’s going to look back and learn from the opportunity he had today and have a ton of confidence. 

“Next time he’s staring down the middle of the order in the sixth inning, he’s going to succeed in that situation. Today was a really good learning experience. It’s a tough lesson because he had been so sharp for the entire day.” 

Scott’s night followed clunkers in consecutive games by Robert Stock and Sean Manaea. Stock allowed seven earned runs over four innings in a loss to the Brewers. The lefty Manaea surrendered six earned runs over 5 ²/₃ innings a night later. 

Scott’s final line included five walks and one hit allowed over 5 ¹/₃ innings. All three runs against him were earned. It followed Scott’s start against the White Sox last weekend, when he walked four batters over 4 ²/₃ innings and allowed four earned runs. 

He’s pitched to a 3.80 ERA over 20 starts in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. 

“Physically, I feel fine,” Scott said. “I have got to get out of this rut. I have to do a better job executing, especially later in the game, so I have to focus on that.” 

Carson Benge smashed an RBI double against Hunter Brown in the fourth that produced the game’s initial run. Francisco Lindor singled leading off for the Mets’ first hit before Benge delivered a shot off the fence in right-center for his 54th RBI this season. 

Scott loaded the bases by walking Yordan Alvarez, Isaac Paredes and Jose Altuve in the sixth and was removed with one out. Lavender allowed a single to Daulton Varsho that brought in two runs. Yainer Diaz’s two-out bloop RBI single placed the Mets in a 3-1 hole. 

Jonathan Pintaro escaped the seventh with help from Bo Bichette’s glove. Bichette lunged to his right to snag Paredes’ one-hop shot, turning it into an inning-ending double play. Bichette was back in the starting lineup after missing Thursday’s game following a foul ball off his left foot.