New York @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2011 ) Atlanta 5, NY Mets 1
THE STORY: Atlanta’s Derek Lowe has more losses than any other starter on a projected playoff team. He gets the assignment for the first of a three-game series against the visiting New York Mets on Friday as the Braves try to nail down the National League Wild Card spot for the second consecutive season. The Braves, who swept the Mets in a doubleheader last week in a one-day makeup, won two or three from the Marlins. The Mets, losers of six straight, are glad to see the road - they were swept by Washington in a four-game series to cap a 1-9 homestand.
TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), SportSouth (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets LH Chris Capuano (10-12, 4.49 ERA) vs. Braves RH Derek Lowe (9-14, 4.70).
Capuano is 0-1 in three starts since throwing a two-hit shutout against Atlanta on Aug. 26, a night he struck out 13 and earned double-digit wins for the first time since 2006. Capuano is 3-3 with a 2.74 ERA in seven career starts against the Braves. Chipper Jones is 1-for-11 with three strikeouts against the southpaw. Lowe is coming off back-to-back road losses to St. Louis and Philadelphia, when he allowed 11 runs, 17 hits and eight walks in 11 innings. The sinkerballer has struggled since the All-Star break, going 4-7 with a 5.43 ERA. Lowe has had mixed luck against the Mets - he is 5-5 with a 5.42 ERA in 13 career starts, but is 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two starts in 2011.
ABOUT THE METS (71-79): New York has had trouble scoring runs. The Mets managed only five runs in losing four games to the Nationals and ruined some solid efforts from the starting pitchers. Jose Reyes has hit safely in 16 of 17 games since he was activated from the disabled list Aug. 29, but did not play Thursday. Justin Turner is 11-for-27 in his last 11 games. The Mets announced that Johan Santana would not make his scheduled minor league rehab start and would not return to the majors this season.
ABOUT THE BRAVES (86-64): Brian McCann has switched to a lighter bat to help battle some late-season fatigue. It worked Tuesday when he hit what proved to be the game-winning home run. Matt Diaz has done his job since being acquired from the Pirates - he is hitting .350 overall, but .368 against lefthanders. Michael Bourn is hitting .290 with 15 steals in 41 games since joining the club. The triumvirate of relievers Eric O'Flaherty, Jonny Venters and Craig Kimbrel is a combined 12-7 with 49 saves and 277 strikeouts in 224 innings.
FINAL PITCH: Atlanta may get some help in the bullpen before the end of the season. Kris Medlin is scheduled to throw live batting practice Saturday. If he is successful, the Braves told Medlin that they would consider putting him on the playoff roster. The lefthander has been recovering from Tommy John surgery since August 2010.