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Mets, Harvey hope to avoid Braves' brooms

Jun 21, 2015 - 11:31 AM (SportsNetwork.com) - Matt Harvey tries to follow up a brilliant showing his last time out on Sunday when the New York Mets try to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field.

Harvey won for only the second time in his last six decisions on Tuesday with a strong effort against Toronto that saw him scatter four hits over seven scoreless innings. He also struck out six without walking a batter and improved to 7-4 to go along with a 3.32 ERA.

"Not just this week, but probably for the last 14 days, he hasn't been very happy," Mets manager Terry Collins said. "I think Matt prepared himself tonight as good as he possibly can, considering all the things he's been going through, including being off for a year. He's applied himself this week to make sure tonight was a different performance."

Harvey has split his two starts versus the Braves and has pitched to a 3.46 ERA in those outings.

Atlanta, meanwhile, will counter with righty Julio Teheran, who was nowhere near as sharp as Harvey the last time he pitched. Teheran was roughed up by the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday to the tune of six runs and 13 hits in 6 1/3 innings to drop him to 4-3 on the year with a 5.07 ERA.

Boston's left-handers went 6-for-15 with a walk in Teheran's defeat

Through 14 starts this season, lefties have hit the 24-year-old at a .326 clip while slugging .546 against him. In 2014, Teheran limited them to a .239 average and a .395 slugging percentage.

"They still got to him last year a little bit, but it wasn't at the pace they're doing right now," Atlanta skipper Fredi Gonzalez said. "Whether it's pitch selection or command. Looking at the video through the course on the Jumbotron, it's balls right down the middle. It's balls down the middle of the plate that we need to locate."

Teheran is 4-3 in 10 games (9 starts) versus the Mets with a 3.46 ERA.

Atlanta has won the first two in this series and on Saturday A.J. Pierzynski was a home run shy of the cycle and scored three runs as the Braves rolled, 6-4. Andrelton Simmons collected four hits with two runs and an RBI and Cameron Maybin supplied two RBI for the Braves, who have won three of their last four.

Williams Perez (4-0) allowed four runs on five hits and two walks with five strikeouts over six innings of work to earn the win.

Travis d'Arnaud homered and knocked in three runs for the Mets before leaving the game in the sixth inning after an inadvertent collision at the plate with Pierzynski.

Curtis Granderson also homered in New York's fourth straight loss.

Mets starter Noah Syndergaard was charged with four runs -- three earned -- over four innings the no-decision. Jack Leathersich (0-1) was given the loss.

"Some nights you go out there and everything is working for you," Syndergaard said. "I just didn't have the same results as I did (in my last start)."

The Mets have won six of 10 against the Braves.