New York @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 18, 2012 ) NY Mets 6, Atlanta 14

Two teams with their sights set on chasing down Washington in the NL East open the second half in Atlanta. The Braves won their final four games before the All-Star break, moving one-half game ahead of the Mets and within four games of the first-place Nationals. Brian McCann homered in Atlanta’s final four games before the break, raising his average 13 points to .238 and driving in 11 runs. New York has dropped four of seven since a four-game winning streak, but the consensus last-place pick in the East is six games above .500 and squarely in the race.

The Mets send Chris Young to the mound after scratching Johan Santana with a slight ankle injury. Dillon Gee was to start for Santana, but was hospitalized with numbness in his right hand, resulting from a blood clot in his shoulder. Gee will undergo surgery Friday. Atlanta counters with Tim Hudson, who won three of his final four starts before the break to lend some stability to the Braves’ sometimes-shaky starting rotation.

TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), Peachtree TV (Atlanta).

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Chris Young (2-2, 3.41 ERA) vs. Braves RH Tim Hudson (7-4, 3.56 ERA).

Young joined the rotation in early June and has posted good numbers in six starts. He lost to Philadelphia in his last start on the Fourth of July, but allowed just five hits and three runs in seven innings with three strikeouts. Young has not walked a hitter in his past two starts.

Hudson has been excellent since early June, going 4-2 with a 2.41 ERA and a .224 opponents’ batting average since June 5. The right-hander beat Philadelphia in his last start on July 6, holding the Phillies to four hits and no runs in seven innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta lost rookie shortstop Andrelton Simmons to a broken right pinkie finger in the final game before the break. Simmons, who is hitting .296 with three homers in 33 games, will miss at least four to six weeks.

2. A big reason for New York’s strong first half is third baseman David Wright, who is third in the majors in hitting at .351. Hudson, who turns 37 on Sunday, has held Wright to a .206 average in 63 career at-bats.

3. The Braves are 20-22 at Turner Field and 12-13 against NL East opposition.