Atlanta @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 23, 2010 ) Atlanta 2, NY Mets 5

The New York Mets have perhaps put their troubled times in the rearview mirror.The Mets (8-9) have won four of five on their current homestand and look to continue their winning ways Saturday afternoon when they face the Atlanta Braves in the second game of their three-game series at Citi Field.New York will turn to young lefty Jon Niese (0-1, 4.32 ERA) on Saturday. Niese fared well in his last start against the Chicago Cubs, pitching 5 2/3 innings and allowing no earned runs while striking out a career-best seven. One of Niese’s two career victories have come against Atlanta, having defeated the Braves in his only appearance against them last year.Atlanta (8-8) will start righty Jair Jurrjens (0-1, 6.06), who will look to kickstart his campaign against a team he has dominated over his young career. After a solid start to begin the season against the Cubs, Jurrjens has struggled in his last two starts against the San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies, respectively. Jurrjens does own a stellar 6-1 career mark against the Mets with a tidy 2.44 ERA.The hurler was bothered by some shoulder problems in spring training, but he insists that he is 100 percent healthy and the shoulder is not the reason for his woes - rather a lack of location with his assortment of pitches. When Jurrjens is healthy, he’s a very tough pitcher, evidenced by his 13-win season as a rookie in 2008 and his 14-win campaign last year.Jurrjens did strike out a career-high nine against the Rockies in his last start.The Braves were downright comical in the field in Friday night’s 5-2 loss, making a season-high four errors - two from All-Star third baseman Chipper Jones.Jones dropped two pop-ups Friday night, including one on a bizarre play that led to the Mets scoring their fourth run. Jose Reyes hit a pop-up with runners on first and second and one out. The umpire correctly called for the infield fly rule, making Reyes out. But when Jones dropped the pop-up, chaos ensued. Jones threw the ball to first baseman Eric Hinske, who tried to tag out Reyes, who was already out by the rule.But the infielders forgot that the runners can advance on their own risk and Angel Pagan alertly came around to score when no one covered home.The Mets hope that rookie first baseman Ike Davis continues to give the team’s offense a lift. Davis blasted his first career homer Friday night, an estimated 450-foot majestic blast that is believed to be the longest by a Met at Citi Field. Since Davis was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo Monday, he is hitting .389 with a homer and two RBIs. New York also featured a new lineup Friday night, with Reyes batting in the No. 3 slot for the first time in his career. Mets manager Jerry Manuel believes that while Carlos Beltran heals after offseason knee surgery, the Mets are better with Reyes in the third slot and Pagan batting leadoff.