Philadelphia @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( May 10, 2016 ) Philadelphia 3, Atlanta 2

There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the Philadelphia Phillies' future, and the team is showing signs that the future may not be so far away. The Phillies play the middle contest of a three-game set against the host Atlanta Braves on Wednesday having won three straight contests and 13 of their last 18 after recording a 3-2 victory in the series opener, which featured a 3-for-4 performance – including a homer – from Maikel Franco.

Jeanmar Gomez continues to thrive in the closer’s role for Philadelphia, nailing down his major league-leading 12th save as the club recorded its seventh consecutive one-run victory. Gomez and Franco combined to help the Braves fall to 1-16 at home, despite Freddie Freeman leading off the ninth inning with his fifth homer of the season – and just the eighth by Atlanta in 31 games. Freeman finished 2-for-4 and is hitting .390 over his last 11 games with four homers, but the Braves finished with just six hits on Tuesday. The Braves have scored two runs or fewer in nine of their 17 home contests.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN Southeast (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Jerad Eickhoff (1-4, 4.21 ERA) vs. Braves RH Jhoulys Chacin (1-2, 5.40)

Eickhoff has shown plenty of promise in his first six starts, striking out seven or more three times while giving up more than three runs only once. But the Phillies have scored fewer than three runs in four of his outings - including at St. Louis on Thursday, when Eickhoff lost his third consecutive decision despite allowing three runs and six hits in six innings. The 25-year-old, who went 3-3 with a 2.65 ERA in eight starts as a rookie in 2015, worked seven scoreless frames in his only appearance against Atlanta last year.

The Braves got four solid starts from Chacin last month, but he gave up eight runs on seven hits - four homers - and four walks over 4 2/3 innings in a loss to the New York Mets on May 4. Before that outing, the 28-year-old had pitched as well as any Atlanta starter, posting a 3.27 ERA, walking only four and striking out 23 while not allowing more than three runs in an outing. Chacin is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA in seven career appearances (five starts) against Philadelphia, taking the loss in his last meeting in 2014 while pitching for Colorado.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta placed RHP Jim Johnson, who is 0-4 with a 7.90 ERA, on the disabled list Tuesday with a right groin strain.

2. Philadelphia CF Odubel Herrera went 1-for-5 in the series opener to extend his hitting streak to eight games.

3. Atlanta's Kelly Johnson recorded a pinch-hit single in the ninth inning on Tuesday, improving the team to 5-for-45 in pinch-hitting situations this season.

PREDICTION: Braves 3, Phillies 1