Los Angeles @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 15, 2010 ) LA Dodgers 1, Atlanta 13
While their offense sputtered, the Atlanta Braves' pitching staff helped secure their lead in the NL East. The bats finally came around Sunday, and the Braves hope the arms can keep doing what they've been doing.
The Braves were hitting .218 as a team in 13 games this month before breaking out for 13 runs and 16 hits on Sunday, but an NL-best 1.98 team ERA in August has helped preserve a two-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the division.
Atlanta hopes for Tommy Hanson to continue that trend on Monday, when the Braves look to take three of four from the Los Angeles Dodgers at Turner Field.
Hanson (8-8, 3.51 ERA) has lost his last three decisions, but that isn't a good indication of how well he has pitched recently. He hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last five starts and hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in eight starts since June 27.
Since that June 27 outing against the Detroit Tigers - the second in a row in which Hanson failed to get out of the fourth inning - the 23-year-old right-hander has a 1.76 ERA in 51 innings, though he has only one win to show for it.
Hanson beat the Dodgers on June 5 in Los Angeles, holding them to two runs over six innings in a 9-3 victory.
Hanson's counterpart that day was 26-year-old right-hander Chad Billingsley, who also is slated to start on Monday. Billingsley took the loss in that one, allowing three runs over six innings. He is 1-3 with a 3.82 ERA in seven career appearances against Atlanta.
Billingsley (9-7, 3.78 ERA) has experienced some of the same tough luck hampering Hanson lately. He has posted five consecutive quality starts, yet he's 2-2 during that span and has lost his last two games - finding himself on the wrong end of shutouts on both occasions.
The Dodgers have scored a total of five runs in Billingsley's last five starts, an indication of their overall performance at the plate recently. Los Angeles has scored two runs or fewer in 14 of its last 24 games.
The offense has been especially punchless during the first three games in Atlanta, managing only three runs. Jair Jurrjens and two relievers held the Dodgers to six hits on Sunday, though they did manage a pair of doubles - their first extra-base hits of the series.
One of those doubles was from Scott Podsednik, who led off the game in that manner to extend his hitting streak to 12 games. Podsednik has hit .314 in 17 games since the Dodgers acquired him from Kansas City.
Leadoff man Omar Infante went 3-for-5 and scored three runs Sunday for Atlanta, giving him seven hits in the series. Alex Gonzalez and Troy Glaus each drove in four runs. Glaus leads the team with 69 RBIs, but the four Sunday matched his total over his previous 18 games dating to July 25.