Kansas City @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 18, 2010 ) Kansas City 4, Atlanta 6
The Atlanta Braves remain completely comfortable at home - and that is likely to spell trouble for the Kansas City Royals.
One of the hottest teams in baseball and especially at Turner Field, the Braves entertain the Royals on Saturday when they continue their interleague series.
Atlanta won the series opener, 6-4, on Friday for its 12th triumph in its last 13 home games. The Braves are 22-7 at home on the season and are the only team in baseball that has not dropped at least 10 home games.
Derek Lowe and Chipper Jones each drove in two runs and Lowe also pitched well to lead the Braves to victory. Lowe improved to 6-2 with 3.80 ERA in eight starts at Turner Field and he is 4-1 with a no decision in his last six starts overall.
Kansas City came to Atlanta having won its last two series against the Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros - and with more wins on the road (15) than at home (14). But if the Royals want to have a chance to win a third straight series, they are going to need some solid pitching.
Brian Bannister could not provide it on Friday, allowing five runs and seven hits in four innings. The Royals' next starter has been spotty this season after a stellar 2009 campaign.
Zack Greinke (2-8, 3.94 ERA) takes the mound for the Royals. Greinke had lost four straight starts before going the distance in a 9-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.
Greinke allowed three runs and five hits against the Reds with 12 strikeouts and no walks. It was by far the best performance of the season for the 2009 American League Cy Young Award winner and a game where he got a rare dose of run support.
The Royals have scored three runs or less in eight of Greinke's 14 starts this season and he has lost a pair of 1-0 games already this year. This will be his first career start against the Braves.
Atlanta will counter with Kris Medlen (4-1, 3.23). Medlen is coming off a strong start against the Minnesota Twins and has been impressive for the Braves this season, going 3-0 with a 3.76 ERA since moving into the starting rotation.
In his last start, Medlen went a career-high eight innings and shut the Twins down until allowing a three-run homer to Delmon Young in the seventh inning of a 7-3 victory on Sunday.