Los Angeles @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 11, 2014 ) LA Dodgers 6, Atlanta 2

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ rotation gets plenty of attention thanks to the likes of Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke, but 33-year-old Dan Haren keeps winning without the fanfare. Haren takes the mound Tuesday as the visiting Dodgers play the second of four games against the Atlanta Braves, and his next victory will give him double digits in the win column for the 10th consecutive season. Los Angeles took advantage of shaky Atlanta defense and anemic offense to capture Monday's series opener 6-2.

Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez batted Emilio Bonifacio leadoff for the fourth time in the past six games Monday, trying to jump-start an offense that has scored 31 runs in its past 12 games. Bonifacio, who has a five-game hitting streak, has played five positions in his first eight games with the Braves since a July 31 trade from the Cubs. But the Braves continue to struggle at the plate, losing 10 of their past 12 games to fall four games behind Washington in the NL East and 2½ back of St. Louis for the final NL wild-card spot.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportsNet LA (Los Angeles), SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Dodgers RH Dan Haren (9-9, 4.57 ERA) vs. Braves LH Mike Minor (4-7, 5.42)

Haren ended a five-start losing streak with his first victory since June 30 in his last start, limiting the Angels to one run on three hits in 7 1/3 innings Wednesday. He went 8-4 with a 3.57 ERA through the season’s first three months before posting a 10.03 ERA with 27 runs on 36 hits allowed during the five-start skid. Haren is 5-2 lifetime against the Braves with a 4.68 ERA in nine career games.

Minor won 24 games while emerging as one of the top young left-handers in the NL the past two years, but has been the weak link in the Atlanta rotation this season. He is 2-3 with a 7.33 ERA in his past 10 starts, opponents are batting .357 off him and he has allowed 12 homers in 54 innings, leading the Braves to skip him in the rotation last week. Minor, who has not pitched since a 10-1 loss Aug. 1 at San Diego, beat the Dodgers in Game 2 of last year’s NL Division Series.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta 2B Tommy La Stella left Monday’s game in the second inning with a right upper hamstring cramp, but the Braves expect SS Andrelton Simmons (ankle) to play Tuesday.

2. Los Angeles 1B Adrian Gonzalez is 4-for-8 with a homer, three RBIs and three walks against Minor.

3. The Braves are 7-36 when scoring fewer than three runs.

PREDICTION: Dodgers 6, Braves 3