Atlanta @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 6, 2018 ) Atlanta 4, Milwaukee 5

The Milwaukee Brewers have relied on their power to vault to the top of the National League Central standings, and enter Saturday’s home game against the Atlanta Braves look to continue blasting balls over the outfield fence. The Brewers beat Atlanta for the second consecutive game Friday, riding homers from Tyler Saladino and Jesus Aguilar in a five-run third inning en route to a 5-4 victory, marking the 12th consecutive game in which Milwaukee has homered.

Aguilar belted his 20th homer of the season in the midst of a three-hit night and Milwaukee has connected for 20 homers in its past dozen games - during which the Brewers are 8-4 to improve to 46-14 for the season when hitting at least one homer. The Braves have lost four games in a row for the first time all season, and enter Saturday tied with the Phillies for first place in the NL East. Atlanta made it interesting Friday with a three-run seventh to pull within one run as Nick Markakis finished with three hits. Ozzie Albies doubled in the first, his NL-leading 50th extra-base hit of the season.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Anibal Sanchez (3-2, 2.89 ERA) vs. Brewers RH Aaron Wilkerson (0-0, 15.00)

Sanchez makes his 10th start of the season and seeks to snap a three-start winless streak - a stretch that includes six innings of three-run, six-hit pitching in a no-decision Monday against the New York Yankees. The 34-year-old surrendered six runs in 9 2/3 innings with five walks in back-to-back losses to Toronto and Cincinnati after he won two of his first four starts since returning from a hamstring injury. Sanchez is 2-2 with a 6.37 ERA in eight career starts against Milwaukee, but has not faced the Brewers since 2015 and has not beaten them since 2007.

Wilkerson is set for his first start in the majors this season after giving up five runs on five hits over three innings of relief Sunday against Cincinnati. The 29-year-old went 2-2 with a 2.08 ERA in eight games (seven starts) for Triple-A Colorado Springs this season following an 11-4 campaign with a 3.16 ERA in 24 starts last season for Double-A Biloxi. Wilkerson made three appearances (two starts) for Milwaukee at the end of 2017, going 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA while issuing only one walk in 10 1/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta LF Ronald Acuna left Friday's game with left groin tightness after legging out an infield single in the seventh.

2. Milwaukee RHP Corey Knebel has retired 19-of-24 leadoff hitters this season and earned his 11th save in 13 opportunities Friday.

3. Atlanta recalled RHP Evan Phillips from Triple-A Gwinnett on Friday and placed LHP Max Fried, who left Thursday’s start after three innings due to a blister on his pitching hand, on the disabled list.

PREDICTION: Braves 6, Brewers 3