Arizona @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 17, 2009 ) Arizona 4, Atlanta 9
The Atlanta Braves are hoping their recent string of offensive success extends to their home field as well.
The Braves will be looking to push their winning streak to four games when they begin a seven-game homestand tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Atlanta has played most of its schedule on the road so far this season, compiling an 8-14 record away from Turner Field.
That’s due mostly to an offense that ranks near the bottom of the National League despite perennial All-Stars such as Chipper Jones and Brian McCann hanging out in the middle of the lineup every day.
But the sagging offense began to show some signs of life at Milwaukee this week, outscoring the Brewers 28-7 in a three-game sweep.
Rookie phenom Jason Heyward returned to the starting lineup on Tuesday after being relegated to pinch-hitting duty due to injury and scored three runs in each of the final two games of the series.
Heyward leads the team with eight homers and 28 RBIs and was finally moved into the No. 3 spot in the lineup upon his return Monday.
Troy Glaus is finally beginning to break out as well, riding an eight-game hitting streak while putting together multiple hits in six of the last 10 games.
Glaus, who was signed as a free agent in the offseason, has driven in 14 runs and cracked a pair of homers in that span to lift his batting average from .194 to .267.
The Diamondbacks, on the other hand, are suffering through a six-game losing streak and have not scored more than three runs in a game during that span.
But while the offense has been a source of concern, it has been the pitching staff that has caused the most problems for Arizona, ranking next-to-last in the NL with a 5.72 team ERA.
It was Edwin Jackson getting lit up once again in a 6-3 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, allowing six runs in 6 2/3 innings. That performance raised the ERA of Arizona's starting rotation to a robust 4.96 - once again 15th in the NL.
But the Diamondbacks may have a chance today when they send team ERA leader Ian Kennedy and his 3.48 mark to the hill in the series opener. Kennedy, who was acquired along with Jackson in a three-team trade during the offseason, has allowed three runs or less in five of his seven starts in 2010.
Kennedy suffered a loss last week against Milwaukee despite yielding just two runs on six hits in seven innings. The 25-year-old right-hander has been victimized at times by the long ball, surrendering eight homers in 44 frames innings.
The Braves will counter with winless right-hander Kenshin Kawakami, who will be making just his second home start of the season. The Japanese right-hander allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings to suffer a loss at Turner Field back on April 17.
Kawakami has faced the Diamondbacks once in his career, allowing three runs on five hits in five innings to suffer the loss on May 16, 2009.