Atlanta @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( May 25, 2013 ) Atlanta 6, NY Mets 0

The Atlanta Braves played 11 innings Saturday and parlayed it into two victories to run their winning streak to eight games. The Braves will seek a third consecutive series sweep against the reeling New York Mets on Sunday night. Atlanta needed two innings to finish off Friday's rain-suspended series opener before rolling to a 6-0 win Saturday night to extend its lead atop the National League East to 5 1/2 games over the Washington Nationals.

New York failed to score in the 11 innings Saturday and saw its losing streak climb to five straight overall and eight in a row at Citi Field. Pitching has been an obvious issue, failing to hold an opponent to fewer than four runs during the five-game skid. The Mets have managed only 19 runs in the last eight at home. The poster boy for the futility has been first baseman Ike Davis, who struck out four times in the series opener and is mired in a 2-for-44 drought.

TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, ESPN

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Julio Teheran (3-1, 3.99 ERA) vs. Mets RH Shaun Marcum (0-5, 6.59)

Teheran is coming off a strong performance, limiting the Minnesota Twins to one run on five hits in a season-high 8 1/3 innings. The 22-year-old Colombian has surrendered only nine runs in his last five starts after surrendering 13 in his first three outings. Teheran made one start against the Mets at Citi Field in September 2011, giving up one run in 5 1/3 innings, but he was roughed up by New York for four runs in a 2 2/3-inning relief appearance eight days later.

Marcum put himself in a 3-0 hole after one inning last time out against Cincinnati, but he pitched well after the early blip by giving up one run on three hits over the next five innings. He went a season-high 6 2/3 innings in his previous start, yielding three runs - two earned - in a 4-2 loss to St. Louis. Marcum was unable to protect a 3-0 lead in Atlanta on May 3 and did not factor in the decision. He is 1-1 with a 2.96 ERA in four starts vs. the Braves.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta has won 15 of the last 18 meetings with the Mets.

2. Mets SS Ruben Tejada, who had three hits Saturday, is 4-for-8 against Marcum.

3. The Braves are two victories shy of matching their season-high win streak set in April.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Braves 3