Atlanta @ Philadelphia preview
Citizens Bank Park
Last Meeting ( Jul 5, 2013 ) Atlanta 4, Philadelphia 5
While it may be a bit premature for the Atlanta Braves to start looking over their shoulder, the next two horses in the National League East are beginning to gain ground. The Braves will look to prevent a fourth straight loss on Saturday when they continue their three-game series against the host Philadelphia Phillies. Humberto Quintero homered and drove in three runs and Ryan Howard also went deep as the Phillies posted their third victory in four games with a 5-4 triumph on Friday.
Second-place Washington and third-place Philadelphia have both won two in a row to trim Atlanta's lead to five and 7 1/2 games, respectively. While hardly in a perilous position, the Braves are just 37-36 since beginning the season in impressive fashion by winning 12 of 13 contests. Atlanta will look for struggling veteran right-hander Tim Hudson to snap a 10-start winless stretch.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, Fox
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Tim Hudson (4-7, 4.22 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Kyle Kendrick (7-5, 3.59)
Hudson, who hasn't won since May 5, yielded four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings to take a no-decision versus Arizona in his last trip to the mound. The 37-year-old received the same fate in his last outing against Philadelphia after permitting three runs in 4 1/3 innings on April 1. Hudson owns a 10-9 mark in 28 career starts versus the Phillies, but has held them to just a .249 batting average.
Kendrick has won seven of eight decisions against Atlanta - with his lone loss coming on July 25, 2008. The 28-year-old allowed four runs and matched a season high with 10 hits - including four to phenom Yasiel Puig - in six innings en route to losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last turn. Kendrick was cleared of a mild concussion that he sustained after being hit by a pitch from Los Angeles' Stephen Fife.
WALK-OFFS
1. Philadelphia SS Jimmy Rollins had a pair of singles in the series opener to extend his hitting streak to eight games. Rollins is 18-for-81 (.222) in his career versus Hudson.
2. Atlanta 2B Dan Uggla provided his team's fireworks with a three-run blast in the seventh inning on Friday. He is 11-for-35 (.314) lifetime against Kendrick.
3. Braves 1B Freddie Freeman saw his eight-game hitting streak come to an end in the series opener.
PREDICTION: Braves 5, Phillies 2