Colorado @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Apr 16, 2010 ) Colorado 5, Atlanta 9
Martin Prado may be one of baseball’s best-kept secrets in the early portion of the season.
Overshadowed by the spectacular start put together by rookie Jason Heyward, Prado has quietly gone about his business in guiding the Braves from his perch atop the order.
Prado is batting a team-best .463 with an on-base percentage of .532, to go with team-highs of nine runs scored and five doubles through 10 games.
He has hit safely in every game this season, picking up the four-game streak he closed out the 2009 campaign with.
The 26-year-old had a pair of hits in Friday’s 9-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies, his seventh multi-hit contest to date.
Prado will look to extend that streak as the Braves host the Rockies in the second game of the teams’ three-game tilt on Saturday.
Taking the hill for the Braves is Kenshin Kawakami, who was a tough-luck loser in his first start against the San Francisco Giants. He allowed three runs -- two earned -- on five hits over six innings in the 6-3 defeat.
Kawakami, who went 7-12 with a 3.86 ERA in 2009, has never faced Colorado in his career. High pitch counts allowed him to only pitch into the seventh inning during just six of his 25 starts last year.
The Rockies will turn to ace Ubaldo Jimenez, who is off to a great start in 2010. The left-hander is 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA and 13 strikeouts in 12 innings.
Jimenez has not enjoyed the same success against the Braves, going 1-3 with a 5.06 ERA in five career starts.
Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe returned to the lineup after being limited to pinch-hitting duty over the previous two games because of tightness in his quadriceps. He had a hit and drove in a run on Friday.
Fellow outfielder Carlos Gonzalez did not suit up for the fourth straight contest because of a left hamstring injury. According to manager Jim Tracy, Gonzalez will be in the lineup on Saturday.
The speedster is batting .379 with three RBIs.