Mets Vs. Braves Preview: Game Time, TV Schedule, Probable Pitchers

The New York Mets hope to carry some rare momentum over into their three-game series against the Atlanta Braves opening on Friday night. That momentum is thanks to another dazzling performance from R.A. Dickey Thursday afternoon and phenom Matt Harvey is tasked with turning it into something while making his Citi Field debut.

Dickey's complete game five-hitter preventing a ten-game home losing streak and put the Mets in a position to pick up back-to-back wins at Citi Field for the first time since June 22.

After making a stellar Major League debut back on July 26 in Arizona against the Diamondbacks, Harvey has had more mixed results in being saddled with losses against the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres. The 23-year-old Connecticut native will have another tall task against the Braves, a team leading the race for the Wild Card and just four and a half games behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East.

While Harvey will try to turn in a solid start for the Mets, the Braves will hand the ball to recently acquired lefty Paul Maholm. He tossed solid seven innings in his debut with Atlanta last Saturday against the Houston Astros after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs, but was the tough luck loser.

The Mets have hit Maholm well historically, especially at Citi Field, racking up a .375 average in four games at their new home.

These two teams opened the second half against each other and the Braves set the tone for the Mets collapse. In sweeping a three game series in Atlanta, the Braves outscored New York 21-13. That's quite the contrast from the way the season opened, when the Mets were the ones doing the sweeping and giving fans hope out of the gate.

You can catch all the action locally on SNY or WFAN 660 with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m.