The Atlanta Braves passed last night's gut check by getting a win over the New York Mets preventing the first home series loss of the season but will face another gut check tonight as the winner tonight takes the series and Atlanta has to have a win in order to stay perfect with series wins at home. Mike Minor is 8-2 2.68 ERA and Atlanta is looking to win the ninth straight Minor starts. Minor is 12-0 2.22 ERA last ten vs. National League Opponents and 13=2 last 21 overall. The Atlanta rotation has a 2.31 ERA in nine games vs. NYM this season with 60 K's to only 13 BB's in 58 innings pitched but have only gone 5-4 vs. NYM overall as Atlanta bullpen is 10.22 ERA in those losses. Niese is 3-6 4.15 ERA but has posted a 1.93 ERA in his last three starts but only 1-6 over the past ten outings with only 1.6 Runs Per Game support. Niese is among the National League worst 4.03 BB's/game and had a career high six BB's in last outing in this matchup. Heyward is 8 for 20 and Freeman is 7 for 22 vs. Niese each with 2 HR's. Justin Upton is looking at a 2 for 23 slump with a .157 average with no HR's in last 18 home games. Gattis and Tejada among some of the bigger names on the 15 DL for tonight's decisive finale in this five game series. Wright and Murphy are 0 for 13 vs. Minor however Minor will also must have success vs. Duda who has been a Braves killer in the past. Atlanta passed the test last night to set the stage for tonight's Gut Check Part II and Minor has been Atlanta's go to man most of the 2013 season. Source: ESPN MLB Preview.
