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Mets try to break the brooms out on Braves

Jul 10, 2014 - 2:43 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The New York Mets are beginning to feel good about themselves and shoot for a four-game sweep of the visiting Atlanta Braves this evening from Citi Field.

The Mets have won a season-high four straight and five of their last six games, and recorded a 4-1 win Wednesday to take the series with Atlanta. Travis d'Arnaud keyed a crucial three-run seventh inning with a two-run homer and David Wright scored on a sacrifice fly before the big blast.

Since returning from Triple-A Las Vegas, d'Arnaud has a hit in 12 of his 13 games and reached base safely in all 13..

Lucas Duda drove in a run to help the Mets improve to 5-1 on a 10-game homestand. Curtis Granderson, who had four home runs and seven RBI over his previous seven games, was 1-for-4 with a strikeout.

New York starting pitcher Dillon Gee returned to the rotation for the first time since May 10 because of a late strain and tossed seven innings of one-run ball with four strikeouts and a walk. He scattered six hits and is 4-1 this season.

"He made pitch after pitch," Mets manager Terry Collins said of his starter. "He was the Dillon Gee we've known to love."

Vic Black and Jenrry Mejia each threw a scoreless inning of relief with the latter picking up his ninth save.

The Mets, winners in 11 of the last 16 games at Citi Field, will close the homestand this weekend with three games versus the Miami Marlins. The Mets have homered in nine straight games at Citi Field and have gone deep 23 times in the last 21 games. The 23 homers since June 17 are the most in the National League.

Bartolo Colon hopes to pitch the Mets to a four-game sweep of the Braves when he takes the mound Thursday. Colon is 8-7 with a 4.04 earned run average and has lost two straight starts since winning three in a row and six decisions in a row. In a 5-3 loss to Texas on Saturday, Colon gave up five runs for the second straight time and lasted seven innings.

Colon is 1-1 in two meetings the Braves this season and 4-1 with a 1.70 ERA in five career starts against them. The veteran righty has a 4-3 mark in seven home starts this season.

Atlanta is mired in a four-game losing streak since ripping off nine straight wins. Ervin Santana was dealt the loss Wednesday after he surrendered all four runs and six hits in seven innings.

B.J. Upton had the lone RBI for the Braves and both Justin Upton and Tommy LaStella finished with two hits. Freddie Freeman was 0-for-4 and had his on- base streak stopped at 26 games. He batted .353 in that stretch.

The Braves, who went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded six, haven't scored more than three runs in each of the past four games.

"We're not scoring runs," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "We're going through a little streak right now."

The Braves have struck out 28 times this series and will visit the Chicago Cubs this weekend for three games at Wrigley Field. They are one game behind Washington for the NL East lead and will send veteran right-hander Aaron Harang to the mound Thursday. Harang is 8-6 with a 3.67 ERA and has won three straight and four of five starts.

Harang got past Arizona in Saturday's 10-4 victory and was reached for four runs -- three earned -- and nine hits in eight innings. He is 1-1 in two matchups with the Mets this season and has a 5-5 mark with a 4.62 ERA in 12 career starts against them. Harang will have to look out for Wright, who is batting .423 with a home run and seven RBI against him.

Atlanta and New York have split 12 meetings this season.