Atlanta @ St. Louis preview
Busch Stadium
Last Meeting ( Jul 28, 2013 ) St. Louis 2, Atlanta 5
The St. Louis Cardinals were humbled the last time they faced the Atlanta Braves, but could see their fortunes turn Thursday when they host the first of four games against the shorthanded National League East leaders. The Cardinals scored three runs and were swept by the Braves in late July, starting their seven-game slide and igniting the Braves’ 14-game winning streak. St. Louis is one game behind Pittsburgh in the NL Central and firmly in control of one of the NL’s two wild-card spots.
Atlanta is 6-4 since posting the majors’ longest winning streak in 11 seasons, but could be the team to see its offense sputter this time around. Justin Upton has missed consecutive games due to a left upper back strain while Jason Heyward was lost for four to six weeks after he was hit the jaw with a pitch during Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over the New York Mets. However, Upton told reporters following Wednesday’s game he expects to be “fine” for this series.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportSouth (Atlanta), FSN Midwest (St. Louis)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Paul Maholm (9-9, 4.41 ERA) vs. Cardinals RH Joe Kelly (4-3, 3.01)
Maholm hasn't pitched since July 20 due to a bruised left wrist, but is expected to come off the disabled list Thursday after winning in a rehab start for Single-A Rome on Saturday. The 31-year-old will return to the mound after going 0-3 with a 10.13 in July, while also trying to improve his 4-7 record and 6.03 ERA in 13 road outings. Maholm has also struggled against St. Louis, going 4-7 with a 4.06 ERA in 18 career starts.
Since joining the rotation on July 6, Kelly has been as good as any St. Louis starter, and he is 4-0 with a 1.57 ERA over his last six outings. The 2009 third-round draft pick yielded four hits and struck out six over six frames in Saturday’s 4-0 road win against the Chicago Cubs and has permitted one run or less in five of his last six turns. The Cardinals are 6-1 over the seven starts since he moved into the rotation, with their only loss coming in Atlanta when Kelly picked up a no-decision despite firing 6 1/3 scoreless innings on July 27.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta 3B Chris Johnson and St. Louis C Yadier Molina share the best batting average in the NL (.332).
2. The Cardinals have lost eight of their last nine regular-season meetings with the Braves.
3. Atlanta CF B.J. Upton is hitless in his last 24 at-bats – recording 12 strikeouts over that span – since going 4-for-5 on August 7.
PREDICTION: Cardinals 5, Braves 3