Mets at Braves
In a season where so much has gone wrong for the New York Mets, batting Michael Conforto in the leadoff spot has turned out well more often than not. The Mets play the second contest of a four-game series against the host Atlanta Braves on Tuesday - one night after Conforto blasted a leadoff homer - his sixth in 10 starts in that spot - en route to a three-RBI night that helped power his team to its third win in four games.
The news for New York earlier Monday was far from good, as ace Noah Syndergaard was placed on the disabled list with a partially torn right lat muscle, but the club made the most of its eight hits for a 7-5 triumph - just its fourth in 15 games. Atlanta won four of five entering the start of its seven-game homestand, but ace Julio Teheran was tagged for six runs in six innings. Matt Kemp finished with three hits and is batting .361 with four homers and 12 RBIs in his last eight games. The Braves dropped to 4-4 at the new SunTrust Park, where they will be for 15 of their next 22 games after playing 16 of their first 23 on the road.
TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, SNY (New York), FSN Southeast (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Mets RH Matt Harvey (2-1, 4.25 ERA) vs. Braves RH R.A. Dickey (2-2, 3.80)
Pressed into service after Syndergaard was scratched Thursday, Harvey tied career marks for most walks (five) and fewest strikeouts (one) while allowing six runs over 4 1/3 innings in losing to the Braves. Harvey, who said afterward he was not physically ready to make the start, gave up two runs in 6 2/3 frames to beat Atlanta on April 6 in New York. The 28-year-old has served up six homers in 29 2/3 innings after giving up only eight in 92 2/3 frames last year.
Dickey pronounced himself ready to go after tweaking his left quadriceps while running the bases in a victory against the Mets on Thursday, when he gave up three runs - two earned - and five hits in five innings before leaving the game. After a rough Atlanta debut in a loss at Pittsburgh on April 8, the 42-year-old knuckleballer has posted a 3.50 ERA with 12 strikeouts and a .227 opponents' batting average over his next three starts. Dickey is 3-0 lifetime against the Mets in four appearances, including a victory in 2015 while with Toronto.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta 2B Brandon Phillips went 0-for-4 on Monday, ending his hitting streak at 13 games.
2. New York 3B Jose Reyes is batting .400 with three homers during his current five-game hitting streak after starting the season 6-for-63.
3. Braves CF Ender Inciarte hit his fifth homer of the season Monday, moving within one of his career high set in 132 games with Arizona in 2015.