St. Louis @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 26, 2013 ) St. Louis 1, Atlanta 4

Craig Kimbrel has not blown a save in nearly three months as the Atlanta Braves’ closer has converted his past 19 opportunities. The Braves host the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday in the middle contest of a three-game set between division leaders - and if Atlanta carries a lead into the ninth inning, odds are Kimbrel will get the save. The 25-year-old is 2-1 with 19 saves since May 9, striking out 40 hitters in 25 innings with just one earned run allowed.

The Cardinals’ lineup features three of the top five hitters in the National League, but the Braves held St. Louis to four hits in Friday’s series-opening 4-1 victory. Left fielder Allen Craig went 0-for-4, but is hitting .385 in July and ranks second in the NL in batting at .331. St. Louis sends Joe Kelly to the mound Saturday to face Atlanta’s Julio Teheran.

TV: 3:05 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Joe Kelly (1-3, 3.88 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (7-5, 3.25).

Kelly makes his fourth start of the season and third in a row after the Cardinals switched to a five-man rotation, but the right-hander logged lengthy relief efforts on June 21 (five innings, 77 pitches) and June 28 (5 1/3 innings, 79 pitches). He defeated the Cubs on July 12 for his first victory of the season, limiting Chicago to one run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old is 1-1 with a 3.18 ERA as a starter.

Teheran has cemented himself as a key cog in Atlanta’s rotation, especially with Wednesday’s season-ending ankle injury to Tim Hudson. The 22-year-old makes his 20th start of the season tied for third on the staff in innings pitched (119) and second in strikeouts (100). The right-hander held New York to one run on four hits in six innings in a no-decision on Monday.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta has led the NL East for 116 consecutive days.

2. St. Louis CF Jon Jay has not committed an error since Aug. 24, 2011, the longest streak in the NL (243 games).

3. Teheran leads the majors in pickoffs with eight.

PREDICTION: Braves 4, Cardinals 2