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Final Score: Atlanta 3 - NY Mets 7

Flushing, NY (Sports Network) - Carlos Delgado's two-run double was part of a five-run eighth inning, as the New York Mets took a 7-3 win over the Atlanta Braves in the opener of a three-game set at Shea Stadium.

Damion Easley hit a two-run single while Ramon Castro, Fernando Tatis and David Wright each had an RBI for the Mets, who have won seven of their last eight games.

Oliver Perez gave up three runs on seven hits along with five walks and three strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings of work. Aaron Heilman (3-7) got the win for pitching a scoreless eighth for New York, which remains 1 1/2 games ahead of Philadelphia for first place in the NL East. The Phillies defeated Washington, 5-4, on Tuesday.

However, it wasn't all good news for the Mets on Tuesday, as the team learned that closer Billy Wagner is going to miss more time than originally expected.

Wagner was set to be activated off the disabled list, which he has been on since August 5, on Monday. But after throwing around 20 pitches in a simulated game on Saturday he was still experiencing discomfort in his left elbow.

An MRI on Tuesday revealed that he is suffering from additional inflammation in his throwing elbow and that there is no timetable for his return -- with the possibility that he might miss the rest of the season.

Chipper Jones went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Jeff Bennett (2-5) got the loss for giving up three runs on one hit with a pair of walks in 1 1/3 innings of work for the Braves, who have dropped three straight and eight of nine overall. Jo-Jo Reyes, who was recalled before the game to make the start, was charged with just two runs on four hits with three walks and five strikeouts in six innings of work.

Trailing by a run to start the eighth, the Mets rallied to take the lead.

Jose Reyes grounded out to start the inning, but back-to-back walks by Nick Evans and Wright were followed by an infield single from Carlos Beltran to load the bases and chase Bennett from the mound.

Will Ohman toed the rubber and immediately gave up a two-run double to Delgado and, after an intentional walk to Tatis, Julian Tavarez took the mound and Easley greeted him with a two-run single to center. Castro then doubled to bring home Tatis for a 7-3 lead.

"It's the toughest situation to be put in and it's the one every bullpen guy should crave," Ohman said. "It's the one I [crave]. I made a very below- average pitch to an above-average hitter and I just paid for it."

Scott Schoeneweis worked around a two-out single in the ninth to close out the game.

"The bullpen did a really good job," Perez said. "That was a key situation for this game. We understand that we are playing well right now."

The Mets jumped out to the early lead as they plated two runs in the first inning. Reyes led off with a walk and moved to third on Evans' single. Wright then brought home Reyes with a sacrifice fly. Beltran followed with a single and, after Delgado struck out, Tatis hit a ground-rule double that scored Evans.

The Braves grabbed the lead in the third. Gregor Blanco led off with a walk, Yunel Escobar followed with a single and Jones then punched an RBI single to center. Omar Infante then hit a grounder down the first base line that stayed fair to load the bases and Brian McCann's ground out brought home Escobar. Jeff Francoeur then hit a sac fly to score Jones for a 3-2 lead.

After giving up a pair of walks in the second, Jo-Jo Reyes retired nine consecutive batters before giving up a two-out single to Evans in the fifth. Reyes worked a 1-2-3 sixth before handing the ball to Bennett, who worked a perfect seventh.