Los Angeles @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2012 ) LA Dodgers 5, Atlanta 0

The Atlanta Braves were the hottest team in baseball to start the season. Now they are barely hanging on to first place in the National League East. Slumping Atlanta enters Friday’s opener of a three-game set against the Los Angeles Dodgers having lost five of six contests, and the Washington Nationals are just a half-game behind the Braves in the division race. The Dodgers are in last place in the NL West but have won four of their last five games.

Los Angeles' Matt Kemp still isn’t hitting for power but brings a 14-game hitting streak into the series. Kemp is batting .328 during the stretch, but 16 of his 19 hits have been singles. His only home run of the season came on April 24. Kemp has five collected RBIs during his hitting streak to raise his season count to 15. Atlanta is just 10-17 after opening the campaign with 12 wins in 13 games. Atlanta's Justin Upton has belted 13 homers but has gone deep just once in the last 17 games. Upton has just four RBIs in May.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), SportsSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers LH Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-2, 3.40 ERA) vs. Braves LH Paul Maholm (4-4, 3.94)

Ryu has lasted at least six innings in all eight of his starts. He has allowed five hits or fewer four times, including his last outing in which he gave up one run and five hits over 6 2/3 innings while defeating the Miami Marlins. Ryu has fanned 51 in 50 1/3 innings but has just five strikeouts in 12 2/3 frames over his last two starts. He is 1-1 with a 4.68 ERA in four road outings.

Maholm has lost four of his last five starts after winning his first three. He lasted just 4 1/3 innings in his last outing as the San Francisco Giants touched him up for six runs and eight hits. Maholm is 1-1 with a 1.32 ERA in two home starts this season. He is 1-5 with a 4.91 ERA in nine career starts against the Dodgers.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta OF Jason Heyward (appendectomy) could be activated prior to the series opener.

2. Kemp has a .200 average in 60 career at-bats at Turner Field.

3. Braves LHP Jonny Venters underwent Tommy John surgery on Thursday for the second time in his career.

PREDICTION: Braves 4, Dodgers 3