Los Angeles @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( May 22, 2011 ) Atlanta 1, LA Angels 4

The Atlanta Braves’ pitching staff had a rough time in Colorado this week and should be happy to get closer to sea level when the team returns home to host the opener of a three-game interleague series against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday. The Braves surrendered a total of 28 runs over the final three games of the four-game set against the Rockies, dropping the last two. The Angels are coming in hot, with five wins in their last six games.

Los Angeles overcame Yoenis Cespedes’ rocket arm to take two of three from Oakland this week, holding the Athletics to one run in each of the first two games of the series before suffering a 7-1 setback in Wednesday’s finale. The Braves’ woes reached the back end of the battery on Thursday, when catcher Gerald Laird was hit on the backswing by Corey Dickerson, starting a brief beanball war that could result in some suspensions. Lost among the problems with the pitching was the slow climb out of a slump from B.J. Upton, who hit safely in each of the four games in Colorado and drove in four runs.

TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, FSN West (Los Angeles), SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH C.J. Wilson (7-5, 3.32 ERA) vs. Braves RH Aaron Harang (4-5, 3.33)

Wilson bounced back from a pair of losses by holding the Chicago White Sox to one run and three hits over 7 1/3 innings to pick up the win on Sunday. The veteran issued five walks in 2 2/3 frames at Houston in his previous turn but cleaned that up with two walks against the White Sox. Wilson is 8-5 with a 3.79 ERA in 47 career games – 17 starts – in interleague play.

Harang is trying to snap a five-start winless streak and has been pitching well of late. The San Diego native posted his third straight quality start at Arizona on Sunday but issued six walks in as many innings and ended up with the loss. Harang made four starts against Los Angeles as a member of the Seattle Mariners last season and went 0-4 with a 10.38 ERA.

WALK-OFFS

1. Braves 2B Tommy La Stella recorded his first career extra-base hit with a double on Thursday and has multiple hits in six of his last nine contests.

2. Angels CF Mike Trout (7-for-15) and LF Josh Hamilton (6-for-9 with two homers) have crushed Harang in the past.

3. Los Angeles is a major league-best 90-46 in interleague play since 2007.

PREDICTION: Angels 7, Braves 2