Milwaukee @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 23, 2013 ) Milwaukee 5, Atlanta 0

The Atlanta Braves acquired Freddy Garcia to provide depth during September, but the veteran right-hander has emerged as a candidate to pitch in October for the National League East champions. The Braves host Milwaukee on Tuesday and Garcia takes the mound looking to build his case to be the fourth starter – should Atlanta elect to go with a four-man rotation – in the NL Division Series. The 37-year-old Garcia is 6-3 with a 3.28 ERA in 10 career postseason starts.

The Brewers have played well away from home in the second half, winning or splitting seven of their past eight road series and jumping ahead of Atlanta in this series with a 5-0 victory Monday. Injuries to Corey Hart and Ryan Braun, and Braun’s season-ending suspension in July put a huge damper on Milwaukee’s offense, but rookie second baseman Scooter Gennett is hitting .360 (50-for-139) since Aug. 5. Gennett hit .423 in August, but has struck out 13 times in 66 at-bats in September.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers RH Tyler Thornburg (3-1, 1.96 ERA) vs. Braves RH Freddy Garcia (4-7, 4.52)

Thornburg has pitched six innings in each of his three September starts, beating St. Louis and the Chicago Cubs in his past two outings. He held Chicago without a run while allowing two hits and striking out four last Wednesday. The 24-year-old, who graduated from high school in the northern Atlanta suburbs, is 2-1 with a 1.25 ERA in six starts.

Garcia has allowed three earned runs in 20 2/3 innings with Atlanta. He took the loss in the second game of a doubleheader Sept. 17 at Washington despite allowing just one run on seven hits in seven innings. The 15-year-veteran is 1-1 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts for the Braves and 1-2 overall.

WALK-OFFS

1. Thornburg has surrendered one homer in 59 2/3 innings after giving up eight in 22 innings as a rookie in 2012.

2. Atlanta is 75-27 when it hits at last one homer.

3. Milwaukee 3B Aramis Ramirez has hit seven homers in 34 games since coming off the disabled list.

PREDICTION: Braves 3, Brewers 2