New York @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2012 ) NY Mets 3, Atlanta 1

New York is going to finish below .500 and is buried in the NL East standings, but the Mets have not quit trying to play well as the season nears its conclusion. The Mets beat Atlanta in the opener of a three-game series at Turner Field on Friday, winning for the seventh time in eight games. Lucas Duda came into the series opener hitting .118 in his past eight games, but his three-run homer propelled the Mets to victory. Atlanta saw its five-game winning streak end, but the Braves are locked in as the top NL wild-card team.

A big reason behind Atlanta’s surge to the postseason is Saturday’s starter. Mike Minor was nearly demoted to the minor leagues in June, but the former first-round draft pick has turned around his season. The Mets will counter with Chris Young, who has pitched well in September. Retiring Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones went 0-for-4 on Friday - the night he was honored by the Braves - to see his season average drop to .289.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Chris Young (4-8, 4.21 ERA) vs. Braves LH Mike Minor (10-10, 4.27).

Young is 1-1 in September, posting a 2.66 ERA with two no-decisions. He allowed just one earned run in six innings Sunday against the Marlins, and has surrendered more than two earned runs just twice in his past seven starts. Young is 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA in two starts against Atlanta this season.

Minor allowed seven runs in a three-start stretch in mid-August, but the Braves scored just one run in those games as the left-hander took three consecutive losses. Since then, Minor has been outstanding. He is 4-0 with a 2.48 ERA, striking out 32 in 36 1/3 innings with 10 runs allowed. Minor allowed two hits and two runs in six innings in his last start Sept. 22 at Philadelphia.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Braves have scored two runs or less in 10 of Minor’s 29 starts.

2. New York P Bobby Parnell earned his sixth save Friday. Parnell will serve as closer with Frank Francisco out for the rest of the season.

3. Atlanta is 46-33 at home this season; the Braves are 45-33 away from Turner Field.