Mets 5, Braves 0: Daniel Murphy went 4-for-5 and Lucas Duda’s two-run homer in the sixth inning snapped a scoreless tie as visiting New York captured the series opener.

Duda’s 28th blast of the season, preceded by a double by Murphy, carried deep into the right-field seats to help give the Mets their second victory in six games. Zack Wheeler (11-10) improved to 8-2 in his last 15 starts, allowing five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts in six innings.

Andrelton Simmons collected three of the five hits by the Braves, who lost for the ninth time in 11 contests to fall seven games behind Pittsburgh for the second National League wild-card spot. Julio Teheran (13-13) lost his fourth consecutive start despite giving up just two runs on seven hits with six strikeouts in seven frames.

Teheran wiggled out of a fifth-inning jam after Curtis Granderson doubled and Matt den Dekker singled, retiring the next two hitters to end the threat. But Murphy hit a ground-rule double to left with one out in the sixth and, after Teheran got Travis d’Arnaud to pop out for the second out, Duda crushed a 1-0 pitch over the fence in right field to put New York ahead.

The Braves could not take advantage of a good scoring opportunity in the first as New York second baseman Dilson Herrera made a nice play on Christian Bethancourt’s two-out grounder to leave runners stranded at first and second. Atlanta stranded seven baserunners and has scored just 11 runs in its last seven games.

GAME NOTEBOOK: The Braves have scored five runs in Teheran’s last five starts. … Duda has belted 14 homers since the All-Star break and scored six runs in his last eight games. … Atlanta RF Jason Heyward did not play due to an injured left thumb, sustained when he was hit by a pitch Wednesday against Washington.