Atlanta @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 2, 2012 ) Atlanta 1, Pittsburgh 5

While the Atlanta Braves plan to treat their regular-season finale like a spring training game, the Pittsburgh Pirates will be seeking their first series sweep since July 20-22 against Miami. The Braves rested many of their regulars in Tuesday’s 5-1 loss to Pittsburgh with an eye toward hosting the National League wild card game Friday against St. Louis. Manager Fredi Gonzalez said most of his regulars will start Wednesday’s series finale before exiting after two at-bats. Pittsburgh, which has won back-to-back games for the first time since Sept. 4-5, matched their highest win total of the last 20 years on Tuesday. The Pirates last won 79 games in 1997.

Atlanta would like to generate some offense in the series finale after scoring two or fewer runs in 13 of their past 26 games. Center fielder Michael Bourn returned to the lineup Sunday after missing six games with a left thumb injury and has gone 3-for-9 with two walks in his three games back in the leadoff spot. The Braves are 50-16 this season in games in which Bourn has at least one base hit and one run scored. Kris Medlen will get the start in Friday’s wild card game after going 9-0 with a 0.97 ERA in 12 starts since moving into the rotation July 31.

TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, SS (Atlanta), ROOT (Pittsburgh)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Ben Sheets (4-4, 3.54 ERA) vs. Pirates RH A.J. Burnett (16-9, 3.43)

Sheets will make his final major-league start before retiring after the game. The 34-year-old Sheets, who will be making his 250th career start, is expected to pitch two innings. Sheets hasn't pitched since Aug. 24 because of complications with his throwing shoulder. He’s 9-8 with a 3.04 ERA in 23 career starts against the Pirates.

Burnett finished September with a 2.50 ERA in six starts, and he pitched eight innings in each of last two outings. He’s 5-10 with a 3.70 ERA in 19 career games (18 starts) against the Braves, and he's 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in one start this season. Burnett is 8-5 with a 2.84 ERA in 16 starts this year at PNC Park.

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen will likely have to settle for second place in the NL batting race behind San Francisco’s Buster Posey, who is batting .336. McCutchen is at .327 after going 0-for-4 Tuesday.

2. The Pirates are one home run shy of tying the club record of 171 in 1999.

3. Burnett is 8-1 in 10 starts during the afternoon this season.