New York Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler (45) works in his game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, Sept. 19, 2014, in Atlanta.ATLANTA - Lucas Duda hit a two-run home run, Zack Wheeler pitched six scoreless innings and the New York Mets beat the struggling Atlanta Braves 5-0 on Friday night but were eliminated from playoff contention.
Atlanta, which dropped seven games behind Pittsburgh in the National League wild-card race, can be eliminated with any combination of three Pirates wins or Braves losses.
The Mets were knocked out when Pittsburgh beat Milwaukee earlier Friday.
The Braves, losers in six of seven games, dropped to 4-12 this month. They won the NL East last year but were eliminated from the division race Tuesday when Washington celebrated at Turner Field.
Wheeler (11-10) allowed five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. The Georgia native improved to 6-1 with a 1.92 earned run average in 13 road starts, dating to May 29.
Wheeler worked out of a jam in the fifth inning. He gave up a two-out double to Andrelton Simmons and walked Freddie Freeman before striking out Justin Upton with a pitch in the dirt.
Daniel Murphy went 4-for-5 and scored on Duda's homer in the sixth. Murphy was hitting just .188 in 32 at-bats since returning from the disabled list on Sept. 9.
Braves starter Julio Teheran (13-13) pitched out of trouble in the fifth when Dilson Herrera popped up with runners on first and third, and Wheeler struck out.
After Murphy's ground-rule double in the sixth, Duda hit a low breaking ball into the right-field seats for his 28th homer, giving the Mets a 2-0 lead.
Duda had struck out in his previous two at-bats.
Teheran gave up seven hits, two runs and struck out six in seven innings. He dropped to 0-4 despite a 2.67 ERA in September.
Carlos Torres pitched the seventh, Jeurys Familia the eighth and Buddy Carlyle the ninth for New York.
In the ninth, Dilson Herrera drew a bases-loaded walk from Jordan Walden to make it 3-0, and Eric Young Jr. added a two-run single off Luis Avilan for a 5-0 lead.
The Braves dropped to 8-50 when they score two runs or fewer.
Braves right fielder Jason Heyward wore a brace on his bruised left thumb and didn't play. Heyward, who was hit by a pitch on Wednesday, has received treatment for two days. X-rays taken on his hand were negative. Catcher Evan Gattis missed his 10th straight game as he recovers from strep throat and a kidney stone.
Tonight's matchup of starting pitchers involves two left-handers, Mike Minor (6-11) for the Braves and Jonathon Niese (8-11) for the Mets. Niese is 2-2 with a 5.68 ERA in five career starts at Turner Field, and Minor is 5-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 12 career starts against the Mets.