The comebacks that defined their magical 2006 season have been fewer and farther between so far in 2007.

There have been a few of note, however. The five-run rally in the bottom of the ninth against the Cubs in May. The thriller against Armando Benitez and the Giants in extra innings two weeks later. The eighth, ninth and 10th inning comebacks against Los Angeles last month was another.

None, however, compare in importance to the comeback New York pulled off on Wednesday night. Moises Alou’s solo homer in the bottom of the eighth gave the Mets a one-run lead and Billy Wagner worked out of a bases loaded, no-out jam in the top of the ninth to secure New York’s 4-3, come-from-behind win over Atlanta on a steamy August night at Shea Stadium.

Luis Castillo tied the game with a two-run single in the seventh and Shawn Green collected four hits for the Mets, who won for just the fourth time in 11 games against the Braves this season.

Orlando Hernandez was brilliant through five innings, allowing a walk and a single before giving up a walk and three straight hits to fall behind, 3-1, in the sixth. The veteran worked out of further trouble and tossed a scoreless seventh to finish his evening having surrendered three runs on four hits and a pair of walks while fanning seven.

Chipper Jones gave Atlanta a 2-1 lead with a two-run double and Mark Teixeira followed with a run-scoring single, his ninth RBI in seven games since being obtained from the Texas Rangers.

John Smoltz allowed three runs -- two earned -- on eight hits and a walk with four strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings, and left with a 3-1 lead, but reliever Ron Mahay allowed the game-tying single with the bases loaded and two outs.

Trailing, 3-1, in the bottom of the seventh, Green (4-for-4) got the rally started with a one-out single off Smoltz and moved to second on Lastings Milledge’s base hit to center.

Braves skipper Bobby Cox removed his starter in favor of Mahay, who walked pinch-hitter Damion Easley on five pitches. Jose Reyes popped out to shallow right for the second out, but Castillo (2-for-3, 2 RBI) looped a broken-bat single into left-center, tying the game, 3-3.

After going 2-for-16 in his first three games with New York, the former Twin has gone 9-for-16 in his last three to raise his average as a Met to .344.

Aaron Heilman allowed a single to Willie Harris, who was gunned down trying to steal second, in a scoreless eighth before Alou (1-for-4, HR) belted his fifth home run, and first at home, off Rafael Soriano with one out in the bottom half.

Atlanta wouldn’t go quietly, however, as singles by Chipper Jones (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Teixeira put two runners on with nobody out in the ninth. Ex-Met Chris Woodward, sent up to sacrifice, instead worked a five-pitch walk off Wagner to load the bases.

Jeff Francoeur’s grounder to third forced Chipper Jones at home for the first out and Wagner induced a game-ending 4-6-3, double play by Andruw Jones to notch his 26th save in 27 opportunities and the 350th of his career.

The veteran closer has not allowed a run over his last 19 appearances spanning 21 innings.

The exciting finish was preceded by a true pitcher’s duel in the early going.

Reyes (2-for-3, SB) got things going for New York in the first, singling and scampering to second when Smoltz threw away a pickoff attempt. Castillo’s sacrifice moved him over to third and David Wright lifted a sac fly to left-center to give the Mets the early edge.

‘El Duque’ handled the one-run lead with care, stymieing the scorching Atlanta offense through the first 5 2/3 innings before faltering in the sixth.

Harris walked on a close, 3-2 pitch and moved to second on Kelly Johnson’s single, just the Braves second hit of the game. Chipper Jones followed with a sharp liner to right-center, but with Milledge shading the slugger to left field, Johnson was able to score all the way from first to give Atlanta a 2-1 lead.

Teixeira (2-for-4, RBI) increased New York’s deficit to two runs with an RBI single.

The Mets went quietly in the bottom of the inning before awakening in the seventh off Smoltz.

Heilman (7-3) picked up the victory with a scoreless eighth while Soriano (2-3), suffered the loss, surrendering a run for the fifth time in his last 11 appearances (6.94 ERA).

After a thrilling comeback in a playoff-like contest, the Mets (64-49) will go for their first series win against Atlanta in the rubber-game of the three-game set on Thursday afternoon. John Maine (12-6, 3.27) makes his first career start against the Braves, looking to rebound from his worst performance of the season. The right-hander was unable to escape the third inning last Saturday and was charged with six runs over a season-low 2 2/3 innings in a 6-2 loss to the Cubs.

Now trailing the Phillies by a 1/2-game for second place in the N.L. East, the Braves (60-54) will go for their fourth series win in as many tries against New York this season. Tim Hudson (12-5, 2.95) gets the call in what has been a remarkable bounce-back season for the veteran. The right-hander is unbeaten in his last eight starts (6-0) and has not allowed a run over his previous 14 innings while surrendering just eight hits and three walks while fanning 12. Hudson pitched eight shutout frames against New York in his club’s 7-3 victory back on Apr. 20 at Shea.

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