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Braves-Mets Preview

Sep 19, 2010 - 4:46 AM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Atlanta (84-64) at New York (74-74), 1:10 p.m. EDT

The Atlanta Braves are hoping to enter a showdown series with some momentum. Derek Lowe is hoping they can provide him some support unlike his previous outings this year against the New York Mets.

The Braves go for the three-game sweep at Citi Field as they try to beat the Mets for the first time in four tries with Lowe on the mound Sunday.

Atlanta (85-64) started this critical nine-game trip with two wins to improve to 10-7 against New York (74-75) this year after losing the first four meetings. The Braves have a slim lead for the wild card, and begin a three-game set Monday against NL East leader Philadelphia.

Lowe (13-12, 4.22 ERA) is 0-2 with a 2.95 ERA in three starts versus the Mets this season. The Braves lost all three games while giving him a total of four runs of support.

Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran is hitting .156 (5 for 32) against Lowe. David Wright is 8 for 25 in his career, but just 1 for 9 this year against the right-hander.

Neither Beltran nor Wright has fared well against the Braves. Beltran is 0 for 8 in this series, and 5 for 31 against Atlanta this year while Wright is 0 for 7 in the series, and 6 for 60 with 14 strikeouts in the season series.

In a performance Lowe called "about the best game I've pitched in a long time," he struck out a career-high 12 and yielded six hits over eight innings in a 4-0 win over Washington on Monday.

The Braves will have a tough assignment against R.A. Dickey (11-6, 2.80), who's 7-1 with a 1.74 ERA in nine home starts.

Atlanta is the only team to beat Dickey in New York this year, as he gave up four runs over 6 2-3 innings in a 4-2 loss July 9. He also yielded two runs over six innings and did not get a decision in a 3-2 win Aug. 3 when he opposed Lowe.

Braves leadoff hitter Omar Infante is in a 2-for-15 slump, but 5 for 8 this year against Dickey.

The knuckleballer pitched his second complete game Tuesday in a 9-1 rout of Pittsburgh, allowing five hits.

"He has proven that he can get in and out of trouble at any time," manager Jerry Manuel told the Mets' official website. "And he has proven that he can win at this level."

Nate McLouth homered and drove in two runs and Alex Gonzalez added two RBIs in Saturday's 4-2 victory for Atlanta. McLouth is 11 for 33 (.333) with seven extra-base hits and 10 RBIs since he was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett on Aug. 31.

"I can't say enough about Nate. We've been waiting for him to do this for a while. It looks like he's coming around at the right time," manager Bobby Cox said.

Tim Hudson earned his 16th win, and Billy Wagner struck out the side in the ninth for his 35th save.

Wagner has allowed one run in nine innings against the Mets this year, converting all five save chances against his former team.