New York @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 21, 2013 ) Atlanta 4, NY Mets 1
The Atlanta Braves are cruising toward the National League East title, although they sure put up a stinker against the division's cellar-dwelling team. The Braves look to rebound on Monday afternoon, when they open a three-game series against the visiting New York Mets. Atlanta, which is vying for its 50th home victory, inexplicably was blitzed by lowly Miami to the tune of a 7-0 setback on Sunday.
Although separated by 20 1/2 games in the standings, the Braves and Mets have split the first 16 meetings this season - including an abbreviated two-game set on Aug. 20-21. New York appeared poised to enter Monday's tilt with some momentum, but it let a three-run lead evaporate en route to a 6-5 loss to Washington on Sunday night. One night after recording his first hit and RBI, Matt den Dekker belted his first career homer in a losing effort.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), SportSouth (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Diasuke Matsuzaka (0-2, 8.68 ERA) vs. Braves LH Paul Maholm (9-10, 4.37)
Matsuzaka certainly hasn't distinguished himself in his two outings with New York. The 32-year-old native of Japan permitted five runs in his season debut versus Detroit on Aug. 23 before issuing four walks and yielding as many runs in 4 1/3 innings against Philadelphia. Matsuzaka has split a pair of career decisions versus Atlanta, allowing nine runs and 17 hits over 12 frames.
Maholm allowed one run on six hits in as many innings against Cleveland on Wednesday but was unable to put an end to his four-game losing streak. The 31-year-old hasn't won since June 30 - and suffered a hard-luck loss to the Mets 12 days prior to that. Maholm fell to 6-4 lifetime against New York despite yielding two runs and striking out seven in as many frames in an eventual 6-1 setback.
WALK-OFFS
1. 3B Chris Johnson belted a three-run homer in the 10th inning of Atlanta's 4-1 triumph over New York on Aug. 21. Johnson is nursing minor leg soreness but entered Sunday's contest as a pinch hitter.
2. Mets 2B Daniel Murphy went 2-for-5 on Sunday to improve to 13-for-25 during his first six-game hitting streak
3. Braves 1B Freddie Freeman has gone hitless in six of his last seven games, although he is batting a robust .306 versus New York in his career.
PREDICTION: Braves 4, Mets 2