New York @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 23, 2014 ) NY Mets 1, Atlanta 4

The Atlanta Braves open their home schedule Tuesday when they welcome in the rival New York Mets for the first of three straight. Atlanta had the best home mark in baseball in 2013 with a franchise record-tying 56 wins at Turner Field. The Braves, who are coming off a 2-1 loss in the finale of a series in Washington, will be marking the 40th anniversary of Hank Aaron's 715th home run at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, which broke Babe Ruth's longtime record.

The Mets also tumbled in the last game of a three-game set with Cincinnati at home 2-1. New York, which won eight more games on the road (41) than it did at home last year, will be playing nine straight away from home before returning to Citi Field to host the Braves on April 18. The teams split 10 meetings in Atlanta last season and the Braves won the season series 10-9.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Bartolo Colon (0-1, 4.50 ERA) vs. Braves RH Aaron Harang (1-0, 0.00)

Colon's debut with New York was OK he gave up three runs and nine hits in six innings of a 5-1 loss to Washington. The veteran right-hander struck out four and did not walk a batter but was hurt by two home runs; Colon surrendered more than one homer just three times in 30 starts with Oakland in 2013. The 40-year-old is 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA in his career against Atlanta but all of that accumulated in 2002 as a member of the Montreal Expos.

Harang got off to a wonderful start for the Braves with 6 2/3 scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory at Milwaukee on Wednesday. The 35-year-old finished the 2013 season with the Mets after signing with them in September, posting a 3.52 ERA in four starts. He is 4-4 with a 5.66 ERA in 10 career starts versus New York and owns a 3.41 mark in five previous outings at Turner Field.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York announced Sunday that injured closer Bobby Parnell will undergo Tommy John surgery Tuesday and miss the rest of the season.

2. Mets 3B David Wright is 11-for-21 with a home run and four doubles against Harang.

3. OF Jason Heyward and OF B.J. Upton, the top two hitters in the Braves' batting order through the first six games, are a combined 6-for-48 with 19 strikeouts and three walks.

PREDICTION: Braves 4, Mets 3