News
Braves face real test in first-place Mets
Atlanta (15-16) at New York (17-13), 7:10 p.m. ET
By Mark Bowman / MLB.com
05/10/09 8:58 PM ET
PHILADELPHIA -- While winning four of their first five games of this current road trip, the Braves have proven that they could turn things around once Brian McCann and Garret Anderson returned to their lineup. But to truly make this eight-game trip memorable, they're going to have to continue their current success through their first trip to Citi Field.With their recent success, the Braves enter this week's three-game series against the Mets with just a 2 1/2-game deficit in the National League East standings.
"We finally got our lineup together, and now we're capable of hitting the ball out of the ballpark and driving in runs," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "It's not going to happen every game. But we've got a good chance to score runs now."
Runs could be at a premium during this series opener, which will pit Derek Lowe against Johan Santana.
Lowe, who opted to sign with the Braves instead of the Mets in the offseason, is looking forward to his first opportunity to match up against the two-time Cy Young Award winner, who has gone 0-3 with a 2.76 ERA in five career starts against Atlanta.
"You don't have a lot of room for error when you're going up against guys like this," said Lowe, whose Ft. Myers, Fla., residence is just two doors down from the one Santana purchased during his days with the Twins.
The Braves might also be without Chipper Jones, who exited Sunday afternoon's game against the Phillies with a sore right elbow. This isn't exactly good news to those rabid Mets fans, who were likely looking forward to welcoming him to Citi Field with some of those same "Lah-REE" chants that he heard for so many years at Shea Stadium.
Jones, who said there's a 50 percent chance that he'll play on Monday, is hoping that the new park provides the same kind of hostile character that was present in Shea. But he remembers the atmosphere changing in Atlanta in 1997, when the Braves moved into Turner Field.
"I'm wondering how the atmosphere is going to be," said Jones, who hit .313 in 88 career games at Shea Stadium. "The atmosphere from Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium to Turner Field is different. I'm anxious to see how that kind of carries over to this new park."
Entering this series with the desire to prolong their recent success, the Braves are also looking to avenge the two-game series sweep the Mets claimed in Atlanta last week.
With McCann and Anderson now healthy and productive, the Braves' lineup is starting to take shape. Their presence has seemingly already aided Casey Kotchman, who has totaled eight of his 12 RBIs during the past four games.
With three hits in five career at-bats against Santana, Kotchman may have a chance to continue his recent success and give the Braves even more reason to enjoy their first trip to the Mets' new home.
"I liked Shea, but if there was ever a time for a new stadium, it was time," Cox said.
Pitching matchupATL: RHP Derek Lowe (4-1, 3.98 ERA)
Lowe got the win against the Marlins on Wednesday, despite a start he called "disappointing." The 35-year-old right-hander, who gave up four runs in five innings the previous time he faced Florida, was beat around for six runs in five innings and needed 102 pitches to get through it. He gave up seven hits, walked three batters and struck out six, yielding the most runs in seven starts for the Braves this season. In eight career games -- two starts -- against the Mets, Lowe is 1-2 with an 8.78 ERA. NYM: LHP Johan Santana (4-1, 0.91 ERA)
The NL Pitcher of the Month for April was quite dominant in his first May start, against the Phillies on Wednesday night: seven scoreless innings, 10 strikeouts, two hits and three walks. Now he is to face the team he missed last week because a rainout pushed back the rotation. The Twins, his former team; the Rockies, a team he never has faced; and the Braves are the only teams Santana never has beaten. He lost twice to the Braves last season despite a 2.57 ERA in 21 innings (three starts). He is pitching as well this season as he did at any time in his first season with the Mets. Jones, Matt Diaz and Kelly Johnson have been a challenge for him. Their combined career average in 40 at-bats against Santana is .475. Tidbits
With the chance that Jones will miss Monday's series opener, Cox might be more inclined to keep Anderson's power potential in the lineup. But if he wants to play the numbers, he might want to let Diaz start in left field. Diaz has eight hits, including a homer, in 15 career at-bats against Santana. Anderson has six hits, including a homer, in 25 at-bats against the left-handed ace. ... Right-handed pitcher Jorge Campillo plans to throw a bullpen session on Monday, and if he's encouraged by the results, he'll likely begin a Minor League rehab assignment later this week. Campillo has been sidelined since April 16 with a fatigued right shoulder. ... Mets center fielder Carlos Beltran, who leads the NL with a .382 batting average, has just three hits in 23 career at-bats against Lowe. Tickets
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• 640 WGST, Project 9-6-1 Up next
• Tuesday: Braves (Jair Jurrjens, 3-2, 2.01) at Mets (Mike Pelfrey, 4-0, 5.46), 7:10 p.m. ET
• Wednesday: Braves (Jo-Jo Reyes, 0-2, 5.48) at Mets (Jon Niese, 0-0, 3.00), 1:10 p.m. ET
• Thursday: Off-day
Mark Bowman is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
