Atlanta’s Derek Lowe has lost both starts against the Mets this season.
After going 3-6 on a recently completed nine-game road excursion, the Atlanta Braves return to Turner Field to begin a seven-game homestand. That stand began Monday with a 4-1 victory in the first contest of a three-game series against a New York Mets squad that entered with a putrid 20-33 road record.
Atlanta concluded its road trip with Sunday's 2-1 loss at Cincinnati. The Braves hit .179 with runners in scoring position on the trip, going 1-for-10 on Sunday.
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The Braves' lead in the East was down to 2 1/2 games on Philadelphia after they began the road trip with a season-high seven-game advantage.
A seven-game homestand could help Atlanta rebuild that lead, as the club owns a major league-best 34-13 record at home. Most offshore sports books monitored by the Don Best odds product have opened the Braves as 135 home favorites for Tuesday's contest, with the 'total' set at 8 'under' (minus 120).
While the Braves are trying to take control of the division, the Mets may be eying the next two series as a way to get back in the race. They're fourth in the East, 6 1/2 behind the Braves, but have a three-game set at Philadelphia following this series.
However, New York will need to show major improvement after dropping 15-of-21 with Sunday's 14-1 loss to last-place Arizona.
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After Monday's 4-1 victory, the Braves are 12-5 in the last 17 head-to-head contests with the Mets. The ‘under' is now 11-1 in the last 12 series meetings.
The Braves will be without the injured Martin Prado, who was placed on the DL with a fractured right pinky finger. The All-Star second baseman leads the team with a .362 average at Turner Field.
Omar Infante, who has played second in Prado's absence the last two games, is 9-for-17 over the last four contests. He's 12-for-24 with a homer and two RBIs in six games this season against the Mets.
The Mets will send R.A. Dickey to the mound in Tuesday's middle game of this three-game set. The right-handed knuckleball specialist is 7-4 with a nifty 2.32 ERA. The Mets are 7-7 in Dickey's first 14 starts this season, with the ‘under' going 10-4.
Dickey is coming off one of his finest outings of the season last Thursday when he blanked the Cardinals on four hits through 8 1/3 innings spanning 118 pitches. The Mets went on to win the game 4-0 as 145 home favorites.
The combined four runs dipped below the 8 ½-run closing total, marking New York's fifth straight ‘under' game with Dickey on the mound. The ‘under' is 54-46-5 in the Mets' first 105 overall outings.
Dickey has started against the Braves once this season (July 9) and suffered a 4-2 loss as a 105 home underdog. He was tagged for four runs on nine hits (two homers) in 6 2/3 innings spanning a season-high 119 pitches. Dickey walked two batters and fanned six.
The Braves will counter with Derek Lowe (10-9, 4.58 ERA, who will be making his third start of the season against the Mets. The right-hander with the heavy sinkerball dropped a 3-0 decision at New York on July 11 as a 130 road underdog after allowing two runs on eight hits (one homer) in 5 1/3 innings spanning 96 pitches.
Lowe also suffered a 3-2 loss to the Mets on May 17 at Turner Field as a 150 favorite. He allowed three runs on four hits through seven innings during a 93-pitch effort. Both of Lowe's starts against the Mets dipped ‘under' the closing total.
Atlanta is 11-11 in Lowe's first 22 starts this season, with the ‘over/under' split at 10-10-2.
Don't forget to check the MLB weather report for this game, as well as all of Tuesday's action.