VS.
This is the biggest series of the entire year. We have the chance to knock the Braves out of the NL East contention but they have the chance to come within a game and a half of us.
Tuesday, August 7 Purchase Tickets Shea Stadium | 7:10 PM ET
ATL Buddy Carlyle, RHP (6-3, 4.20)
Braves (59-53) @ NYM Oliver Perez, LHP (10-7, 3.00)
Mets (63-48)
Scouting Report:
Braves: Carlyle picked up his fifth win in eight starts at Turner Field with a five-inning, two-run performance against the Astros on Wednesday. Carlyle was staked to a 7-0 lead after the first inning and protected it by being the pitcher he has shown himself to be during his two-plus months with the Braves: one who gets the most out of his lack of overpowering pitches and who consistently works in the strike zone. Carlyle left with an injury that he suffered while swinging in the top bottom of the fifth, but was in long enough to earn his fifth win in six decisions.
Mets: Rare is the occasion when a pitcher allows three runs in the first inning and two in the second and wins. Perez's 10th victory, Wedensday in Milwaukee, developed that way. It was not unprecedented that he hurt himself by losing focus after his own defensive lapse and then allowed a big hit. It's happened in each of his two most recent starts. But his final four innings were nearly unflawed.
Wednesday, August 8 Purchase Tickets Shea Stadium | 7:10 PM ET
ATL John Smoltz, RHP (10-6, 3.04)
Braves (59-53) @ NYM Brian Lawrence, RHP (1-0, 5.40)
Mets (63-48)
Scouting Report:
Braves: Feeling energized by the fact that his right shoulder wasn't providing any discomfort, Smoltz felt he may have rushed a few too many pitches on Friday, when he surrendered five earned runs in 6 2/3 innings against the Rockies. With a chance to now throw in between starts for the first time since the shoulder became an issue on May 29, the 40 year-old hurler feels his offspeed stuff will be more crisp. He's won both of his decisions against the Mets this year and limited them to two runs or fewer in two of his three starts against them.
Mets: Lawrence acquitted himself well enough on Thursday in Milwaukee in his debut with the Mets -- his first big-league appearance since 2005 -- yielding three runs on eight hits over five innings. The Mets liked the no-walks part. Does Lawrence's inability to prosper in home games -- his career record at home is 19-32 as opposed to 30-29 on the road -- carry over to Shea?
Thursday, August 9 Purchase Tickets Shea Stadium | 12:10 PM ET
ATL Tim Hudson, RHP (12-5, 2.95)
Braves (59-53) @ NYM Orlando Hernandez, RHP (7-4, 3.00)
Mets (63-48)
Scouting Report:
Braves: Hudson has won six straight decisions, tossed 14 consecutive scoreless innings and gone 4-0 with a 0.99 ERA in the five starts he's made since the All-Star break. Opponents have scored runs in just two of the past 37 innings that he's started. His only start against the Mets this year came on April 20, when he limited them to five hits in eight scoreless innings. He is 4-1 with a 2.80 ERA in five career starts at Shea Stadium.
Mets: Put aside El Duque's six-inining no-decision in LA on July 22, and he had a 3-0 record and 1.69 ERA in a four-start sequence. He was brilliant against the Cubs in Wrigley Field on Friday, striking out nine over 6 2/3 frames while holding the Cubs to just two earned runs. Hernandez allowed one run in six innings against the Braves in April, his lone '07 appearance against them.
This is where we hold them! This is where we fight! This is where they die!
Madness? THIS IS SPARTA!
