New York @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 19, 2014 ) NY Mets 5, Atlanta 0

The Atlanta Braves finished fourth in the National League in runs scored en route to winning the NL East title in 2013, but this season has been a far different story. The Braves, who are on the verge of being eliminated from the NL wild-card race, host the New York Mets on Saturday looking to wake up an offense that is 14th in the NL in scoring and has plated runs in only six of the past 64 innings. The Mets captured the series opener Friday 5-0 as Daniel Murphy collected four hits.

Murphy, who has played the past eight games at third base, is 8-for-19 with three runs scored in his past four contests. The Mets have won five of their past six road games and can even the season series against Atlanta at nine wins apiece with a victory Saturday. Atlanta catcher Evan Gattis took batting practice Friday as he recovers from a kidney stone that has sidelined him for the past 10 contests, but the Braves sit seven games out of the final wild-card spot with nine games remaining.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, WPIX (New York), FSN South (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Jonathon Niese (8-11, 3.55 ERA) vs. Braves LH Mike Minor (6-11, 4.74)

Niese gave up two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts in losing Sunday to Washingon, his seventh loss in his past 10 decisions. Since July 21, Niese has posted a 4.40 ERA while allowing a .302 opponents’ batting average, including a loss Aug. 28 to Atlanta in which he surrendered three runs in 7 1/3 innings. Niese has allowed only three earned runs in his past two starts, spanning 13 2/3 innings.

Minor showed remarkable improvement after the Braves skipped his turn in the rotation in early August, but he was shelled for five runs on eight hits in just 4 2/3 innings Sunday at Texas. He had allowed three earned runs or less in each of his six previous starts. Minor beat the Mets with seven innings of one-run, four-hit pitching Aug. 28, but has lost his past three outings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta SS Andrelton Simmons went 3-for-4 Friday while playing on an injured left ankle that forced him to miss the final six innings of Wednesday’s game with Washington.

2. New York CF Juan Lagares (sprained right elbow) did not accompany the team to Atlanta and likely will miss next week’s series at Washington.

3. The Braves are 8-50 when scoring two runs or less.

PREDICTION: Mets 5, Braves 2