New York Mets at Atlanta Braves preview: Can the streak continue?

Don’t look now, but the Atlanta Braves are playing some of their best baseball of the 2014 season. On one hand, the New York Mets certainly played a part in allowing the Braves to escape with their fifth straight win on Monday night, but even with that hiccup on the side of their opponent, Atlanta was able to keep their momentum riding high. Now, the home team will take a pitching match-up into the second game of the series, as Mike Minor opposes Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Mike Minor has not been his typical self this season, and that has led some to question his overall abilities. The 26-year-old left-hander has an ugly 4.50 ERA and 1.48 WHIP on the season after he allowed five earned runs in Houston last week, but New York’s offense could be just what the doctor ordered for Minor. Over the past two calendar years, Minor has been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get back on track on Tuesday evening.

On the other side of the things, the Mets will be banking on Dice-K, and that sounds like heaven to Atlanta’s offense. In all reality, Matsuzaka has been quite effective with a 3.23 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP this season, but his peripherals (4.75 xFIP, 5.94 BB/9) indicate that a hard fall from grace is coming, and it could begin on Tuesday. The Braves will be without Evan Gattis for the near future after he was placed on the DL, but even without “El Oso Blanco”, Atlanta’s bats could tee off in this match-up.

Here is a look at the particulars for Tuesday:

Date: July 1, 2014

Start Time: 7:10 pm ET

TV Channel: SportSouth

Radio: 680 AM/106.7 FM (Local in Atlanta), Full list of Local Affiliates

Live Stream: MLB.tv (Click Here, $)

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