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Hernandez aims to help Mets hold off Braves

Aug 8, 2007 - 2:29 PM Atlanta (60-53) at NY Mets (63-49) 7:10 pm EDT

FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- The New York Mets still hold a lead over the Atlanta Braves in the National League East, but it won't last long based on their recent play against their division rival.

The Mets hope to turn around their problems against the Braves in the middle game of a three-game series on Wednesday.

Due in part to their 3-7 record against Atlanta, New York's nearly season-long lead in the NL East has been sliced down to 3 1/2 games. The Mets dropped Tuesday's series opener, 7-3, as Jeff Francoeur hit a three-run homer and finished a triple shy of the cycle for the Braves.

New York will look to Orlando Hernandez (7-4, 3.00 ERA) to provide them some cushion in the division.

The 37-year-old righthander has been pitching well, having won three of his last four starts. On Friday, Hernandez allowed two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings but did not figure in the decision of a 6-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Hernandez will be opposed by John Smoltz (10-6, 3.04), who has just one win in his last five starts. The 40-year-old was pounded by the Colorado Rockies on Friday, giving up seven runs - five earned - and a season high-tying nine hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 9-2 loss.

Andruw Jones returned to the lineup on Tuesday for Atlanta, which banged out 15 hits in the opener. He had missed the previous two games with a sore shoulder.