Atlanta @ New York preview
Citi Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 9, 2010 ) Atlanta 4, NY Mets 2
When looking for a reason that the Atlanta Braves have extended their lead over the New York Mets by 2 1/2 games over the past nine days - thereby ensuring they'll hold the NL East lead at the All-Star break - look no further than the recent performance of the teams' bullpens.
Atlanta's relievers threw 3 1/3 scoreless innings Friday, helping the Braves to a 4-2 win in the opener of a key series between the top two contenders in the NL East and continuing their recent dominance. The Braves' bullpen has allowed only four runs - three earned - in 19 2/3 innings so far this month.
Contrast that with the Mets' bullpen, which has surrendered 10 runs in 17 innings of work in July - and that's after 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief Friday - and it's easy to see why the Braves pushed their lead to four games.
Atlanta has a chance to widen the gap when the series continues on Saturday at Citi Field, and the Braves aren't likely to need much help from the bullpen with Tim Hudson on the mound. The veteran right-hander has gone at least seven innings in each of his last six starts.
Hudson (8-4, 2.44 ERA) has posted quality starts in six of his last seven outings, though he was a tough-luck loser his last time out. Hudson took the loss when the Braves fell 3-2 to Florida despite limiting the Marlins to three runs on six hits over eight innings and posting a season-high seven strikeouts.
He'll try to bounce back against the Mets, a team he has fared well against since joining the Braves in 2005. Hudson is 10-5 with a 3.77 ERA in 16 starts against the Mets.
The Mets' bullpen has had to work overtime in each of Mike Pelfrey's last two starts, but the 26-year-old right-hander hopes to stop that trend on Saturday.
Pelfrey (10-3, 3.39 ERA) has failed to get out of the fifth inning his last two times out, a rarity for one of the Mets' most consistent starters this season. He was roughed up for four runs and 12 hits June 30 against Florida and allowed a season-high seven runs Monday against the Reds.
Pelfrey has beaten the Braves twice this year. He threw five scoreless innings in a 1-0 win April 25 at Citi Field and allowed two runs over 7 2/3 innings in a 3-2 win May 17 in Atlanta.
Those wins came in the midst of his 9-1 start, but Pelfrey has struggled recently. Over his last four starts, Pelfrey is 2-2 with a 7.25 ERA. He has surrendered four home runs over that span, after allowing only three in his first 13 starts.
The Braves aren't known for power hitting - their 70 home runs rank 11th in the National League - but they found their power stroke in Friday's series opener, as Melky Cabrera and Omar Infante hit back-to-back home runs to give Atlanta the lead in the seventh inning.
Infante was in the news last week for his controversial selection to the National League All-Star team, but he has done his part to back up that pick the past three games, going 8-for-15 with a homer.