New York @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2010 ) NY Mets 3, Atlanta 9
One of the potential stars of the Atlanta Braves' future hopes to help secure their present playoff prospects on Tuesday.
Atlanta sends 22-year-old left-hander Mike Minor to the mound on Tuesday against the New York Mets at Turner Field.
The Braves will be looking to preserve or extend their three-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. With a 9-3 win in Monday's series opener - coupled with the Phillies' 3-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers - Atlanta added to its division lead for the first time since Aug. 16.
The Braves' offense has come to life during a three-game winning streak, scoring a total of 28 runs and pounding out 35 hits. The first five hitters in the lineup had at least two hits apiece on Monday.
Rookie outfielder Jason Heyward led the 14-hit parade, going 4-for-5 with a home run, four RBIs and three runs scored. Over his past nine games, Heyward is 19-for-36 (.528) with four home runs and nine RBIs.
Now the Braves hope another highly-touted rookie can do his part to keep the momentum going.
The seventh overall pick in the 2009 draft, Minor (2-0, 4.00 ERA) made the quick jump to the majors earlier this month when right-hander Kris Medlen's season ended abruptly with Tommy John surgery.
The lefty has posted quality starts in all three of his outings since being called up on Aug. 9, and he has won his last two starts.
The Braves skipped Minor's turn in the rotation last week in hopes of keeping him fresh down the stretch. He will be making his first start since Aug. 22, when he matched a franchise record for rookies with 12 strikeouts over six innings in a 16-5 win against the Chicago Cubs.
The Braves and Mets have split 12 games in the season series heading into Tuesday's contest at Turner Field, where Atlanta boasts a 47-18 mark - the best home record in the majors.
Tuesday will also mark the Turner Field debut for Mets starter Jonathon Niese (8-6, 3.63 ERA), who is 4-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 11 road starts this season.
The 23-year-old left-hander faced the Braves on April 24, holding them to one run over 5 1/3 innings but settled for a no-decision in a 3-1 win. He is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three career starts against Atlanta.
Niese put together a string of four consecutive starts in which he allowed only one run before stumbling Thursday against the Florida Marlins. He surrendered seven runs over 5 2/3 innings in an 11-4 loss.
Even during his dominant stretch earlier in the month, though, Niese came away with only one win to show for it, getting little help from the Mets' bats and less help from the bullpen.
If the Mets' performance against the Braves so far this season is any indication, he isn't likely to get much run support on Tuesday.
New York has hit .236 as team and averaged 2.4 runs in 12 games against Atlanta this year. Third baseman David Wright has been especially punchless against the Braves, going 3-for-43 (.070), including an 0-for-5 night on Monday.