Game 2: Atlanta - Jo-Jo Reyes (3-10, 5.26) New York - Jonathon Niese (0-0, 15.00)

(Sports Network) - The National League East-leading New York Mets had a day off Friday thanks to the rain and will kick off a doubleheader late this afternoon versus the Atlanta Braves at Shea Stadium.

The first game is scheduled to begin at its original start time of 3:55 p.m. (et), with the second contest to start shortly thereafter.

Mets ace Johan Santana will put his unbeaten streak on the line today in the first game. Santana is 6-0 with a 2.31 earned run average over his last 13 trips to the mound, with the Mets winning each of his previous seven starts. He won his latest outing Sunday versus Philadelphia, tossing 7 1/3 innings of two-run ball in a 6-3 victory at home. Santana improved to 7-3 with a 2.24 ERA in 14 home starts this season.

The southpaw, who is 13-7 in 30 overall starts in 2008, is winless in two starts against the Braves this season and 0-3 with a 2.81 ERA in four lifetime matchups with Atlanta.

Santana will try to pitch the National League East-leading Mets to their fourth straight win on Friday. New York, which is three games ahead of the Phillies in the division standings, recently swept a short two-game series from the Washington Nationals.

In Wednesday's 13-10 slugfest against the Nats, David Wright finished with four hits, including a home run, four runs scored and three RBI to power the Mets to victory. Carlos Beltran and Fernando Tatis both added three hits, two runs scored and a pair of RBI in the win.

Joe Smith pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief to get the win, while Mets starter Mike Pelfrey was rocked for five runs and eight hits in five innings.

The Mets will try to cool off a suddenly-hot Atlanta club which just swept the Colorado Rockies in three games at Turner Field. The Braves recorded an 8-4 victory in the series finale on Thursday, as starter Jair Jurrjens struck out a career-high 10 batters and allowed four runs on eight hits and two walks over six innings.

Yunel Escobar went 3-for-3 with a three-run homer and Gregor Blanco finished with a pair of RBI for the Braves, who have won five of their last seven contests. Brian McCann and Casey Kotchman both finished with an RBI in the winning effort.

Atlanta will hand the ball to veteran Mike Hampton in the first game, and he is 2-2 with a 5.60 earned run average in nine starts this season. The Braves have dropped each of Hampton's last four starts.

The oft-inured lefty is 0-1 in his last four starts and has recorded back-to- back no-decisions, including a seven-inning effort Saturday versus Washington.

Hampton was reached for five runs -- four earned -- and eight hits in seven innings of his team's 8-5 loss to the Nationals in Atlanta. He will take on the Mets for the second time this season at Shea Stadium, having given up three runs in six frames of a 5-4 loss in Flushing on August 21.

The southpaw is 10-10 with three shutouts and a 3.20 earned run average in 29 career meetings (27 starts) with New York.

Struggling hurler Jo-Jo Reyes gets the call for the Braves in the nightcap. Reyes is 0-6 in his last 11 trips to the mound and did not factor in the outcome of a 7-4 loss versus Washington the previous time out on September 7.

Reyes allowed just one run and four hits through six frames to remain at 3-10 this season, while lowering his earned run average to 5.26 in 20 games (19 starts) this season.

The lefty, who is 1-5 on the road, squared off with the Mets for the first time in his career on August 19 this season at Shea Stadium. Reyes did not post a decision and allowed two runs and four hits in six innings of work.

New York will counter with Jonathon Niese tonight. Niese made his major league debut on September 2 at Milwaukee and gave up five runs and seven hits in three innings of a 6-5 loss. The lefty was a 2005 draft choice of the Mets.

Atlanta is 7-5 against the Mets this season, but is just 1-5 at Shea Stadium. The Mets swept the Braves in a three-game series at home from August 19-21.