Colorado @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 30, 2013 ) Colorado 3, Atlanta 11

The Atlanta Braves are the best home team in baseball and when the Colorado Rockies are involved, it gets even better. The Braves, who are 36-15 at Turner Field, will try to make it three straight over Colorado when they host the Rockies on Wednesday in the third contest of a four-game series. Atlanta, which has won five in a row overall, crushed Colorado 11-3 on Tuesday to improve to 26-7 at home since 2003 against the Rockies, who have not a series in Atlanta since 2005.

Runs could be at a premium as Atlanta's Mike Minor returned to the form that saw him win eight of his first 10 decisions with two victories in his last three starts. He will oppose Tyler Chatwood, whose breakthrough season in Colorado continues with three wins in his last four outings. Atlanta increased its lead over Washington in the National League East to 10 games on the strength of three home runs Tuesday, including a pair from Freddie Freeman.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Tyler Chatwood (7-3, 2.48 ERA) vs. Braves LH Mike Minor (10-5, 2.89)

Chatwood struck out a career-high 11 while allowing two runs and six hits in seven innings of an 8-3 victory over Milwaukee on Friday. The 23-year-old, who entered 2013 with an 11-17 record in 46 games (37 starts), registered quality starts in six of his last seven outings. Chatwood allowed five runs (four earned) and nine hits in six innings while receiving a no-decision in his first start of the season when Colorado topped Atlanta 6-5 on April 24.

Minor has allowed six earned runs in his last four starts after limiting St. Louis to a run and four hits in seven innings of the Braves' 4-1 victory Friday. The 25-year-old leads Atlanta in wins, ERA and strikeouts (128 in 137 innings), and will be counted on even more with injured ace Tim Hudson gone for the season. Minor is 2-0 with a 5.50 ERA in three starts against the Rockies, including a 4-3 victory at Colorado on April 23 when he yielded three runs over six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Braves 3B Chris Johnson went 2-for-4 on Tuesday to increase his NL-best batting average to .341. Johnson, who has five consecutive multi-hit games, is 14-for-30 during his eight-game hitting streak.

2. Colorado LHP Jeff Francis made his second relief appearance - and first since Oct. 3, 2010 - in 217 career games Tuesday when he yielded two runs and three hits in 2 1/3 innings.

3. The Braves lead the major leagues with 33 comeback victories.

PREDICTION: Braves 3, Rockies 2