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Atlanta at NY Mets
When: 1:10 PM ET, Sunday, June 19, 2016
Where: Citi Field, New York City, New York
SportsDirect Inc.
A three-game series against the woeful Atlanta Braves was supposed to be the easiest part of the New York Mets' eight-game homestand, but it is proving to be more than they can handle. The Braves seek a season-high fifth straight victory on Sunday as they attempt to complete a sweep of the Mets.
National League-worst Atlanta (22-46) already has clinched its first series win since taking two of three against Miami from May 27-29 and only has swept one opponent all season - downing the Marlins in three straight during a four-game winning streak from April 15-19. The Braves matched that surge with Saturday's 4-3 win in New York and are averaging 6.3 runs during their winning streak - more than double the 3.1 runs they scored over their first 64 contests. The Mets, who had won five of the first six meetings of the season prior to this series, have totaled four runs against Atlanta's young pitching staff this weekend after roughing up Pittsburgh for 17 in their final two contests of a three-game set that began the homestand. New York, which will host Kansas City for two games in a rematch of last year's World Series beginning on Tuesday, has fallen 6 1/2 games behind NL East-leading Washington after it was tied with the Nationals atop the division exactly three weeks ago.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FSN South (Atlanta), WPIX (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Julio Teheran (2-7, 2.93 ERA) vs. Mets RH Jacob deGrom (3-3, 2.82)
Teheran was saddled with another hard-luck loss against Cincinnati on Tuesday despite allowing only one baserunner after the first inning, yielding three runs and three hits while fanning eight over seven frames. The 25-year-old Colombian has permitted three runs or fewer in each of his last 11 turns, yet he is only 2-5 in that stretch as the Braves have not scored more than four runs in any of his outings. Teheran gave up one hit over seven scoreless innings in a win versus the Mets last June, improving to 5-3 with a 3.06 ERA in 11 appearances (10 starts) against them.
Despite logging his sixth quality start in his last eight outings, deGrom remained winless over that time following a loss to Pittsburgh on Tuesday in which he allowed two runs while striking out nine over six innings. The Stetson product has yielded 20 total baserunners over his last three outings spanning 19 innings while striking out 28, yet he is 0-2 over that time as the Mets scored a total of two runs. The 27-year-old deGrom gave up a run over 5 2/3 frames in a victory against the Braves on April 24 and owns a 1.89 ERA versus Atlanta in six career starts.
WALK-OFFS:
1. Atlanta cork smoker Freddie Freeman is batting .467 with six runs, seven RBIs and seven extra-base hits over his last seven games.
2. New York 1B James Loney, who went 3-for-3 on Saturday, is hitting .360 during his seven-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in 10 consecutive contests.
3. The Braves homered twice Saturday to increase their season total to 31, which is 26 fewer than any other team and 57 fewer than the Mets.
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