Atlanta @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 23, 2015 ) Atlanta 3, NY Mets 6

The injury-riddled New York Mets find themselves in contention in the National League East and are hopeful reinforcements will help bolster their struggling lineup. The Mets host the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a three-game series Friday, having activated catcher Travis d’Arnaud, infielder Dilson Herrera and reliever Bobby Parnell from the disabled list the past two days.

New York – which has lost six of its past nine games – remains without infielders David Wright and Daniel Murphy, but d’Arnaud has three hits, two runs scored and an RBI in his first two contests back. The Braves continue to seek stability in a bullpen that blew another late lead in Thursday’s loss to San Diego. Atlanta added veteran relievers David Aardsma and Dana Eveland this week to a relief corps sporting a major-league worst 4.75 ERA. New York is 4-2 against the Braves this season, sweeping a three-game home series in mid-April.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Alex Wood (4-3, 3.36 ERA) vs. Mets RH Bartolo Colon (8-4, 4.52)

Wood gave up three runs on seven hits to lose Sunday against Pittsburgh, getting ejected for arguing balls and strikes after the fifth inning. He had won his previous three starts, beating the Marlins, Dodgers and Diamondbacks and allowing only three earned runs across 22 innings. Wood gave up three runs on eight hits in 6 2/3 innings in a no-decision April 12 against New York.

Colon won his first four starts, including two victories over the Braves, and after a shaky May has pitched well his past three starts. He lost Saturday at Arizona despite allowing only two runs on five hits in seven innings, after winning back-to-back outings where he allowed three runs on six hits in each start to beat Philadelphia and Miami. The 42-year-old Colon has walked only three hitters in his past 20 innings with 15 strikeouts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Colon allowed three runs and struck out five in each of the two earlier meetings with Atlanta, going seven innings on April 12 and six innings on April 23.

2. Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman, a career .299 hitter with 60 RBIs in 78 games against the Mets, is hitting .375 with four homers and 11 RBIs this month.

3. New York LF Michael Cuddyer, who delivered the game-winning single in the ninth inning Thursday against San Francisco, is hitting .322 over his past 21 games with 13 RBIs.

PREDICTION: Mets 4, Braves 2