Atlanta @ Cincinnati preview

Last Meeting ( May 7, 2013 ) Atlanta 4, Cincinnati 5

Mike Minor allowed four home runs in his previous appearance at Great American Ball Park last May, capping a nine-start stretch that made some question whether the left-hander belonged in the Atlanta Braves' rotation. As the Braves wrap up a three-game set at the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, Minor returns to the hitter-friendly park with his spot in the rotation no longer in question. Minor gave up 12 homers in his first nine starts a year ago, but after being rocked by the Reds, the left-hander went 9-6 with only 14 homers allowed in his final 21 starts.

One of the keys for Minor will be keeping leadoff hitter Shin-Soo Choo off base, but pitchers have struggled to contain the Reds’ center fielder. Choo leads the National League with 14 multi-hit games and has reached base safely in 31 of his first 33 contests in a Cincinnati uniform. Choo and Joey Votto are atop the NL in on-base percentage.

TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Mike Minor (3-2, 3.26 ERA) vs. Reds RH Mike Leake (2-1, 4.15).

Minor has allowed three earned runs or fewer in five of his six starts, and has impressed with his command. The left-hander has issued just five walks against 31 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings. Minor pitched seven innings in his last start – his longest outing since April 5 – and held the New York Mets to three runs on three hits in a no-decision Friday.

Leake won for the second time in his past four starts Friday against the Chicago Cubs, scattering nine hits but allowing just two runs in 5 2/3 innings. He has benefited from ample run support; the Reds have scored at least three runs in all six of his starts, and six or more runs three times. Leake made one start against Atlanta in 2012 and it was stellar, allowing one run on three hits in eight innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta OF Jason Heyward, who has been out since an emergency appendectomy April 22, took batting practice for the second consecutive day.

2. Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman has at least one hit in eight of his past 10 games. He is batting .350 during that stretch to raise his season average to .319.

3. Leake is far from an automatic out at the plate. He leads all pitchers with 49 hits since 2010.

PREDICTION: Braves 6, Reds 3