Atlanta Braves
Next for Braves: New York Mets
Series preview: vs Mets
When (TV): 7:10 p.m. Tuesday (SPSO); 7:10 p.m. Wednesday (WPCH); 7:10 p.m. Thursday (WPCH)
Radio: 680, 93.7, 100.5
Probable starting pitchers:
Tuesday: Braves RH Jair Jurrjens (8-2, 1.82 ERA) vs. LH Jonathon Niese (5-5, 3.51)
Wednesday: Braves RH Tim Hudson (5-5, 4.06) vs. RH Dillon Gee (7-0, 3.05)
Thursday: Braves LH Mike Minor (0-2, 4.50) vs. RH R.A. Dickey (3-7, 3.98)
About the Braves:
- Batting: After scoring only seven runs in a three-game sweep over the Marlins, the Braves scored 21 in their first three games against the Astros, including eight home runs. Brian McCann slugged home runs in back-to-back games and has hit .381 (24-for-63) with 13 RBIs in his past 16 games through Sunday.
- Pitching: Jurrjens lost for only the second time all year two starts ago in New York after dueling Gee for six shutout innings before giving up four runs (three earned) in the seventh inning, three of which scored after he left the bases loaded for reliever Scott Proctor. ... Jonny Venters had two saves in four games entering Monday, as manager Fredi Gonzalez has begun using him as a closer to lighten the load on rookie Craig Kimbrel.
- Miscellaneous: Jason Heyward could be activated from the DL as early as Wednesday if all goes well in the first two games of his minor league rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. Heyward has been on the DL since May 27 with right shoulder soreness.
About the Mets:
- Batting: Jose Reyes went 5-for-12 (.417) against the Braves June 3-5, with a double, two triples, four runs and four RBIs. He was leading the NL through Sunday with a .346 batting average. Ruben Tejada was 9-for-21 (.429) with a .520 on-base percentage in his past six games entering Monday.
- Pitching: Niese limited the Braves to two runs in 7 2/3 innings on June 3 in an eventual 6-3 win by the Braves. Chipper Jones homered off him to the second deck in left field. ... The Mets are 9-0 in games started by Gee. He's won his past five starts, with a 2.02 ERA, including a 5-0 win over the Braves on June 4, when he threw seven shutout innings to outduel Jurrjens.
- Miscellaneous: The Mets took two of three from the Braves in New York and continued playing well by winning four of their next six. Johan Santana suffered a setback in his rehab from shoulder surgery last week.
CARROLL ROGERS
