New York @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 31, 2010 ) NY Mets 2, Atlanta 9
After a second consecutive lopsided victory, the Atlanta Braves are halfway to a four-game sweep of the New York Mets - and one step closer to their first National League East title since 2005.
The Braves used a seven-run fifth inning Tuesday to notch their fourth consecutive victory, a 9-2 win against the Mets, and remain three games ahead of Philadelphia in the division standings. Atlanta (77-55) shares the NL's best record with Cincinnati, thanks in large part to a 48-18 home mark, the best in the majors.
During its four-game winning streak, Atlanta has averaged 9.25 runs per game, and the Braves have scored 18 runs and pounded 26 hits in the first two games against the Mets.
That's good news for tonight's starter, Tommy Hanson, who has been the picture of tough luck over the past two months, in large part because the Braves haven't scored many runs for him. The 24-year-old right-hander hasn't won since July 3 against Florida, a span of 10 starts during which he is 0-5 with a 3.08 ERA.
At one point during his winless streak, Hanson (8-10, 3.76 ERA) posted six consecutive quality starts, but he has been knocked around a bit in back-to-back losses. He allowed five runs - four earned - over five innings in a 5-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 21 and gave up seven runs - six earned - in a 7-1 loss to Florida on Friday.
Perhaps his worst break of the season, though, came against the Mets. On April 25 at Citi Field, Hanson ended up on the wrong end of a 1-0 game that ended after five innings because of rain. In that one, Hanson allowed just one unearned run while striking out eight.
He also faced the Mets on July 9 at Citi Field, allowing two runs on seven hits over 5 2/3 innings and settling for a no-decision in a 4-2 victory.
Mets third baseman David Wright, who went hitless Tuesday to drop to 3-for-46 (.065) against the Braves this season, is 0-for-7 with four strikeouts against Hanson.
The winning pitcher in that rain-shortened game in New York was 26-year-old right-hander Mike Pelfrey, who is set to start tonight for the Mets.
Pelfrey (13-7, 3.61 ERA) looks to extend his streak of four consecutive quality starts. He has won three of those outings, including his most recent start Friday at Houston, where he threw eight scoreless innings in a 2-1 victory to earn his 13th win, matching his career high.
Pelfrey has had mixed results against the Braves this season. He's 2-2 with a 3.80 ERA in four starts against them, earning victories April 25 and May 17 but getting hit hard in losses July 10 and Aug. 4.
He is 4-7 with a 5.45 ERA in 14 career appearances against Atlanta. Catcher Brian McCann is 18-for-37 (.486) with two homers against Pelfrey, and Martin Prado (7-for-16) and Omar Infante (5-for-12) also have had success against him.