Atlanta @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 13, 2015 ) Atlanta 5, NY Mets 3

The National League East is available for the taking if either the New York Mets or the Atlanta Braves can put together a run. The teams will meet in the rubber match of a three-game series when the Mets host the Braves on Sunday.

The Mets were the surprise team of the early going but are having trouble stringing wins together of late and dropped Saturday’s game 5-3 in 11 innings to fall for the seventh time in 11 games. New York was without closer Jeurys Familia, who was home to be with his family following the birth of a child, on Saturday and had trouble getting the final outs in his absence. The Braves have dropped seven of their last 11 as well but avoided a three-game slide when Cameron Maybin drove in a pair in the 11th. Maybin is on fire of late with multiple hits in seven of 10 games this month.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN South (Atlanta), SNY (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (3-2, 4.72 ERA) vs. Mets RH Dillon Gee (0-3, 4.50)

Foltynewicz has been up and down since joining the Atlanta rotation and is in a funk of late with back-to-back rough outings. The 23-year-old was lit up for five runs on 12 hits and a walk while matching a season low with two strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings against San Diego on Tuesday. Foltynewicz pitched in relief against New York as a member of the Houston Astros last season and allowed three runs in 2 1/3 frames.

Gee will return to what is being referred to as a “six-man lite” rotation, with rookie Noah Syndergaard being pushed back to Monday. Gee was moved to relief and worked 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen against San Francisco on Tuesday but will fill in as needed in the rotation. The Texas native lost at Atlanta on April 11 but held the Braves to two runs in seven innings at home in a no-decision on April 22.

WALK-OFFS

1. Saturday’s loss dropped the Mets to 30-1 when leading after eight innings.

2. Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman is 6-for-13 with two homers and four RBIs in the last three games.

3. New York INF Danny Muno is 2-for-24 and made three errors at third base on Saturday.

PREDICTION: Braves 6, Mets 4