Chicago @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 5, 2012 ) Chi. Cubs 3, Atlanta 7

Just three games into the season, Chicago already has serious questions about who should pitch the ninth inning. Closer Carlos Marmol notched his first save of the season Thursday, but gave up two runs on three hits with a walk in a shaky ninth inning at Pittsburgh. Marmol surrendered eight earned runs on 11 hits with nine walks in 10 1/3 innings this spring, then allowed a run and a walk in one-third of an inning in the opener.

There has been no middle ground for Atlanta’s offense so far. The Braves scored 16 runs and slugged six home runs in consecutive victories over Philadelphia, then did not advance a runner past first base and finished with two hits in Thursday’s shutout loss to the Phillies. Mike Minor, whose strong second half helped push the Braves to the NL wild-card game last season, opposes start Scott Feldman, who makes his Cubs’ debut. Minor has won all four of his career starts against Chicago.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, MLB Network, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Fox Sports South (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Chicago RH Scott Feldman (2012: 6-11, 5.09 ERA) vs. Atlanta LH Mike Minor (11-10, 4.12).

After spending his first eight years with the Rangers, Feldman signed as a free agent to give the Cubs a veteran arm in the back of their rotation. The right-hander lost 11 games twice in the past three years and ended up losing his spot in Texas’ rotation late in the season. Feldman posted an 11.25 ERA in six spring-training starts, going 0-3.

Minor quietly established himself as a stalwart of the Atlanta rotation the final three months of 2012, after nearly being demoted to Triple-A. The left-hander gave up just seven homers after the All-Star break (following 19 first-half homers), and posted a 2.16 ERA in 14 second-half starts. Minor did his best work in September and October, winning four of his five starts with a 0.87 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Chicago won four of the seven meetings against the Braves last season.

2. Since going 17-8 in 2009, Feldman is 15-23 with a 5.15 ERA.

3. B.J. Upton has the most experience of any Atlanta player against Feldman, going 2-for-12 with four strikeouts.

PREDICTION: Braves 5, Cubs 3