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Braves-Mets Preview

May 10, 2009 - 11:21 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Atlanta (14-16) at New York (16-13), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The New York Mets have baseball's second-highest payroll at nearly $136 million, and after a mediocre start, they're starting to live up to some of those expensive contracts.

Johan Santana's value, meanwhile, has never been in doubt.

The Mets' $137 million ace has the NL's best ERA but he's never beaten the Atlanta Braves, a drought he'll hope to end Monday night when New York looks for its eighth straight victory in the opener of a three-game series at Citi Field.

Santana (4-1, 0.91 ERA) signed a six-year, $137.5 million contract extension on Feb. 2, 2008, the final step toward a blockbuster deal that sent him from Minnesota to New York armed with, at the time, the richest deal ever for a pitcher.

Santana has looked to be worth the investment so far for the Mets (17-13). He went 16-7 with a major league-best 2.53 ERA in his first season in New York and has looked even more dominant in 2009, allowing just four earned runs in 39 2-3 innings.

Opponents are batting a minuscule .168 against Santana after he limited Philadelphia to two hits over seven innings on Wednesday, and the left-hander struck out 10 in New York's 1-0 victory.

"He's really, really special," Mets manager Jerry Manuel said. "This is the most impressive I've seen him."

New York hasn't scored much when Santana's been on the hill, totaling 12 runs in six starts. Then again, he hasn't needed much help - Wednesday's win was the two-time Cy Young Award winner's second 1-0 victory.

"With Johan, one run gives you a real good shot at winning," third baseman David Wright told the team's official Web site. "He's been just dominant. You run out of good things to say."

Santana would certainly prefer a few more runs of support as he tries to earn his first career victory against the Braves (15-16), the only team in baseball he's yet to beat. He hasn't pitched poorly versus Atlanta - posting a 2.76 ERA in five starts - but Santana is 0-3.

It's been New York's offense, though, that's been the story lately. The Mets have averaged 6.1 runs while winning seven straight, and outdid that Sunday. Luis Castillo, Carlos Beltran and Omir Santos all had two RBIs as the Mets finished a sweep of Pittsburgh with an 8-4 victory, giving them their longest streak since winning 10 in a row from July 5-17.

"I think we just needed to get hot a little bit to realize how good we are," Wright said.

Atlanta, meanwhile, is playing better after a rough 6-14 stretch. Casey Kotchman had three hits and three RBIs on Sunday to lift the Braves past the Phillies 4-2, their fourth win in five games.

"I'm just trying to make the most of the opportunities I get," Kotchman said.

Kotchman, who's 3 for 5 against Santana, may need to step up again if Chipper Jones can't go Monday. Jones left Sunday's win with a sore elbow and is listed as day-to-day.

Atlanta will send Derek Lowe (4-1, 3.98) to the mound Monday looking for his team-high fifth victory. Lowe has won three straight starts, surprising considering he allowed six runs and seven hits over five innings Wednesday at Florida.

But Omar Infante, Chipper Jones and Garret Anderson combined for seven RBIs in the Braves' 8-6 win.

"This was an offensive victory," Lowe told the team's official Web site. "My name may be attached to it, but that was a very poor game."

Lowe has started just two games against the Mets in his career, and his last outing wasn't pretty. He gave up nine runs and 10 hits in just three innings with the Dodgers on July 19, 2007, in a 13-9 loss.