New York @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 28, 2015 ) NY Yankees 15, Atlanta 4

Luis Severino has lived up to the billing so far since being promoted to pitch in a pennant race for the New York Yankees, while Matt Wisler has experienced his share of ups-and-downs in his rookie campaign with the rebuilding Atlanta Braves. The two talented right-handers, among the most promising debut pitchers in 2015, meet Saturday as the Braves host the Yankees.

New York routed Atlanta 15-4 in the series opener on Friday and remain 1 1/2 games behind first-place Toronto in the American League East. The Yankees offense finished 6-for-10 with runners in scoring position, a needed jolt after going 0-for-14 in those situations in three games against Houston earlier this week. Brian McCann drove in four runs and scored three times in the former Braves catcher's first game as a visitor in Atlanta, and is 6-for-17 with four runs scored, five RBIs and four walks in his past five contests. Atlanta has lost 10 of its past 11 and its pitching staff continues getting pounded, seeing its August ERA rise to 5.79 after allowing a season high in runs Friday.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Luis Severino (1-2, 2.74 ERA) vs. Braves RH Matt Wisler (5-4, 5.43)

The 21-year-old Severino, who struck out seven Red Sox in five innings during a much ballyhooed debut on Aug. 5, earned his first big-league victory in his last outing Aug. 22 at Cleveland. He gave up one run on three hits in six innings with six strikeouts against the Indians, the third time in four outings Severino has fanned six or more hitters. Severino went 2-2 in eight starts for Double-A Trenton before going 7-0 with a 1.91 ERA in 11 starts for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Wisler’s impact on the Braves has come in measured doses through 12 starts, ranging from eight innings of one-run pitching in the debut to surrendering seven runs in 2 2/3 innings Sunday against the Cubs. That outing, the shortest of his career, continued a difficult August in which the 22-year-old is 0-3 with a 9.13 ERA and eight homers allowed in 22 2/3 innings. Wisler, who went 4-0 in July with a 3.30 ERA, is 3-0 in four home starts with a 3.65 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees SS Didi Gregorius went 4-for-5 with a career-high six RBIs in the opener, becoming the first New York shortstop not named Derek Jeter to drive in five or more runs in a game since Roy Smalley in 1982.

2. Atlanta RF Nick Markakis extended his hitting streak to nine games Friday, and is batting .337 in August.

3. New York P Bryan Mitchell, struck in the forehead by a line drive Aug. 17 against the Twins, pitched 1 1/3 innings in his return Friday.

PREDICTION: Yankees 6, Braves 2