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          New York Mets

          Morning Briefing: Mets stay hot in Hotlanta

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterSep 10, 2016, 10:30 AM
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              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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          ATLANTA -- The New York Mets are on fire, having won 15 of their last 19 games.

          Bartolo Colon (13-7, 3.22 ERA) leapfrogs Seth Lugo in the rotation and starts opposite former Mets farmhand John Gant (1-3, 4.70) on Saturday at 7:10 p.m. ET at Turner Field.

          Lugo will get an extra day and face the Braves in the series finale after dealing with a blister in his last start.

          The Mets sent Gant and fellow right-hander Rob Whalen to the Braves in the original trade for Kelly Johnson in July 2015.

          SATURDAY’S NEWS REPORTS:

          • Curtis Granderson’s two-run homer got the Mets on the scoreboard and Johnson delivered a tiebreaking RBI double in a fourth-run eighth as the Mets rallied for a 6-4 win against the Braves in Friday’s series opener. “He’s been doing it for two years,” Terry Collins said about Johnson. “That’s why we got him. He’s used to it. He’s comfortable with it. That’s a tough job. It’s a tough role to be in for anybody. That’s where those quality veteran guys, they’re not nervous. They’re not intimidated.” Granderson has homered in a career-high four straight games. Read game recaps in the Post, Daily News, Newsday, Record and at NJ.com and MLB.com.

          • Sandy Alderson lambasted critics of the Tim Tebow signing on Friday, suggesting there is no harm. Meanwhile, Jay Bruce was among the players giving a lukewarm endorsement of Tebow’s baseball pursuit. Read more in Newsday and at NJ.com.

          • On the injury front: Juan Lagares, who underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left thumb, has been cleared to swing a bat. While swinging will proceed slowly, the Mets do plan to be aggressive getting Lagares ready to return as a late-game defensive replacement. Lucas Duda is scheduled to take batting practice Saturday against live pitching. He has had a deliberate comeback since originally being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his lower back in May. Neil Walker underwent microdiscectomy surgery at the Hospital for Special Surgery on Thursday to address a herniated disk in his lower back that was causing numbness in a toe. Steven Matz is due to throw off a mound Saturday for the first time since a shoulder impingement forced him to the disabled list. Jacob deGrom threw on flat ground Friday for the first time since being shut down with forearm inflammation. “I really, truly think they both might be a part of this real soon,” Collins said about deGrom and Matz. Read more in the Post and at MLB.com.

          • From the bloggers … Faith and Fear remembers the good times -- yes, the good times -- the Mets enjoyed at Turner Field. … Mets Report wonders if there’s no turning back for the Mets.

          BIRTHDAYS: Neil Walker turns 31. ... Andrew Brown is 32. ... Eastern League batting champ Phillip Evans is 24.

          TWEET OF THE DAY:

          YOU’RE UP: Will the Mets host the wild-card game?