Atlanta @ New York preview
Citi Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 18, 2010 ) Atlanta 4, NY Mets 2
The Atlanta Braves have had the New York Mets' number lately, winning 10 of the last 13 meetings. The Braves hope that dominance can help them reduce the number in the "games back" column of the National East standings when the teams wrap up a three-game series today at Citi Field.
After snapping the Mets' four-game winning streak with a 6-4 win in Friday's series opener, the Braves clinched the season series with a 4-2 victory Saturday. The win also ensured Atlanta will win its first road series since taking two of three at Wrigley Field from Aug. 20-22.
Now Atlanta is after its first sweep on the road since winning three at Milwaukee from May 10-12. That series sparked the Braves' remarkable run that kept them atop the NL East standings for more than three months.
They could use another spark now, as they trail Philadelphia by three games in the division and hold a two-game lead over San Francisco in the wild-card race with two weeks left in the regular season.
After getting a win from Tim Hudson on Saturday, the Braves turn to another veteran pitcher today in Derek Lowe, who has endured an up-and-down season, but he has been dominant in winning his last two starts. Lowe (13-12, 4.22 ERA) had his best outing of the year Monday against Washington, throwing eight scoreless innings and racking up a career-high 12 strikeouts.
The 37-year-old right-hander is 3-5 with a 6.05 ERA in 16 career appearances (10 starts) against the Mets. He has pitched well in three starts against New York this season, but all he has to show for it is an 0-2 record and a 2.95 ERA.
Lowe has dominated outfielder Carlos Beltran over the years, holding him to a .156 average (5-for-32) with no extra-base hits.
After winning five of the first seven games on their current homestand, the Mets are in danger of being swept at home for the first time since the Braves took three at Citi Field last Sept. 21-23.
They hope knuckleballer R.A. Dickey can prevent that by continuing his resurgent season.
Like Lowe, Dickey (11-6, 2.80 ERA) is also seeking his third consecutive win after tossing his second complete game of the season Tuesday against Pittsburgh. In that one, Dickey held the Pirates to one run on five hits and struck out four.
The 35-year-old right-hander has faced Atlanta twice this season and is 0-1 with a 3.55 ERA in those outings. He allowed four runs - three earned - over 6 2-3 innings in a 4-2 loss July 9 in New York, and he limited the Braves to two runs over six innings but settled for a no-decision in a 3-2 win at Atlanta on Aug. 3.
The home loss to the Braves was Dickey's only slip-up at Citi Field this season - he's 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA in nine home starts.
Dickey will have to deal with red-hot rookie Jason Heyward, who has reached base safely in 23 consecutive games and is batting .381 with 20 walks during that stretch, and resurgent outfielder Nate McLouth, who is hitting .333 (11-for-33) with seven extra-base hits and 10 RBIs since being recalled from the minors Aug. 31.
Heyward was the hero of Friday's win, hitting a three-run homer, and McLouth drove in runs with a double and a home run in Saturday's victory.