New York Mets (74-80) at Atlanta Braves (76-77), 7:10 p.m. (ET)

(SportsNetwork.com) - It will take basically a miracle for the Atlanta Braves to make the playoffs this season.

Another shutout loss, the second in three games for the Braves, continued to put a damper on a season that was full of promise and they play the second of three straight meetings with the New York Mets on Saturday night.

Friday night's 5-0 defeat to the Mets brought Atlanta's record to 4-12 this month and the Braves are seven games behind Pittsburgh for the second wild card spot.

Mike Minor tries to snap a personal three-game skid tonight for the Braves. He is coming off a 10-3 loss at Texas on Sunday when he allowed eight hits and five runs across 4 2/3 innings.

Minor is 5-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 12 games against the Mets.

Jonathon Niese, who is 1-3 over his last five starts, counters for New York. Niese suffered a 3-0 loss against the Nationals on Sunday. He's 6-6 with a 3.50 ERA in 17 career starts against the Braves.

Last night, Lucas Duda hit a two-run homer to back six scoreless innings from Zack Wheeler in New York's triumph. Wheeler (11-10) scattered five hits, walked two and struck out seven. The New York pitchers combined to retire the final 13 Braves batters in Friday's win.

"I got into a lot of deep counts, but I did make the pitches when I had to," Wheeler said.

Atlanta's Julio Teheran (13-13) lost his fourth straight start despite a solid seven-inning effort. He gave up seven hits, with the Duda home run his lone hiccup.

Three times in the first five innings the Braves stranded two runners.

"I had two of those opportunities," said Atlanta left fielder Justin Upton. "You just don't get it done."

The Braves are 9-8 versus the Mets this season.