New York @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 16, 2011 ) NY Mets 12, Atlanta 2

THE STORY: The New York Mets will try to continue its role as a spoiler when they again visit the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. The Mets, fresh off a 1-8 homestand, opened the road trip by beating the Braves 12-2 on Friday to slow Atlanta's march toward the National League wild card spot. New York has been a thorn for Atlanta all season as the two clubs have split the first 16 games. Atlanta’s lead in the wild card race is down to 3½ games over the St. Louis Cardinals.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, Fox

PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH R.A. Dickey (8-12, 3.43) vs. Braves RH Tim Hudson (14-10, 3.32).

Dickey had his three-game winning streak broken, although he pitched well enough to win, allowing three hits in seven innings in a 3-2 loss to Washington. Over his last five starts, the knuckleballer is 3-1 and has allowed eight runs in 34 innings with 24 strikeouts and four walks. Dickey is 1-1 with a 3.15 ERA in three starts against Atlanta this year. He is 1-3 with a 4.54 ERA in his career against the Braves. Hudson, the de facto ace of the staff, has lost two straight and dropped three of his last four. He allowed six runs in six innings in his last start, a 6-3 loss to the Cardinals. He has been roughed up by the Mets this year, going 1-3 with a 5.06 ERA in four starts. That goes against his career history as Hudson is 14-9 with a 3.64 ERA in 24 career starts against New York.

ABOUT THE METS (72-79): David Wright has 27 career home runs against Atlanta. He hit two Friday and drove in five runs to give him 68 for his career against Atlanta. Rookie Lucas Duda has 10 hits in his last 23 at-bats and improved his career average against the Braves to .288 (13-for-45) with his second three-hit game in his last three starts. Jose Reyes, attempting to become the first Met to lead the league in hitting, has hit safely in 17 of 18 games. Reyes leads Milwaukee's Ryan Braun in the NL batting race .334-.330. Reyes stole his 36th base Friday, his first since Aug. 30.

ABOUT THE BRAVES (86-65): Julio Teheran received an award Friday for being the organization’s pitcher of the year for the second straight season and was then asked to mop up for starter Derek Lowe. Teheran allowed four runs in 2 2/3 innings, his first relief appearance of the season, and left with a 5.40 ERA. Chipper Jones got his first career RBI against Chris Capuano on Friday, but has yet to get a base hit off the lefthander. Jones had a sacrifice fly in the first inning, but also struck out twice with runners on base.

FINAL PITCH: Atlanta’s situational left-handed reliever George Sherrill had a platelet-rich plasma injection after being placed on the disabled with elbow soreness on Aug. 31. He threw a 15-pitch bullpen session Friday and plans to throw again Sunday. The Braves hope to be able to activate Sherrill next week.