Atlanta @ Milwaukee preview
American Family Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 26, 2009 ) Atlanta 10, Milwaukee 2
The Atlanta Braves would like a little of what the Milwaukee Brewers found at the end of their road trip to the NL West - namely power hitting.
Atlanta continues its nine-game trip with a three-contest set starting Monday against the high-scoring Brewers, who rebounded nicely after being shut out in three of their first four games against the San Diego Padres.
Milwaukee managed to win five of its final six on the road. The Brewers scored 51 runs in those six games, highlighted by a 17-3 rout of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday night when backup outfielder Jody Gerut hit for the cycle. Gerut became the sixth Brewer to achieve the milestone.
Milwaukee leads the National League in average, runs and total hits and has nine homers in its last six games.
The Braves only wish they had that kind of production. Atlanta is last in the National League in hitting (.232) and desperately misses its best power hitter, rookie right fielder Jason Heyward.
Heyward has eight home runs, 26 RBIs and is 11-for-22 with runners in scoring position, but he has missed four games with a strained right groin - an injury he said he has never had to deal with before.
Veteran third baseman Chipper Jones also missed Sunday’s game after tweaking his left groin Saturday night. Jones could return to the lineup on Monday, but Heyward is not expected back until at least Tuesday.
Still another player suffering a groin injury is starting shortstop Yunel Escobar, who is not eligible to come off the disabled list until Saturday.
The Braves are last in the NL East, six games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. They are scheduled to start three right-handers in the series, beginning with Tommy Hanson (2-2, 2.83 ERA).
Hanson has only made two starts against the Brewers and has one loss. He will be asked to keep the big-bopping Brewers at bay.
The NL leader in hits and runs, Ryan Braun is 3-for-7 with two home run against Hanson.
Atlanta should have a decent chance of breaking out for a big game even without Heyward as left-hander Doug Davis (1-3, 8.13 ERA) has struggled mightily.
Davis has pitched fewer than five innings in four of six starts, although he did win his last start, and the Braves could be the type of team to boost his confidence. The key is to get to him immediately because opposing hitters are 9-for-14, a whopping .643, when they hit the first pitch against him.