Atlanta @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Jul 15, 2018 ) Arizona 1, Atlanta 5

The Arizona Diamondbacks needed to catch their breath after losing eight of 11 games, and the combination of Tuesday’s victory over San Diego followed by a day off provided what they hope is a spark entering Thursday’s opener of a four-game home series with the Atlanta Braves. The series could be a playoff preview considering the Braves lead the National League East and Arizona sits within striking distance in the NL West, but both teams have stumbled lately.

There are plenty of red flags around the Braves, who managed to cough up a 7-1 eighth-inning lead Wednesday to fall 9-8 to Boston, finishing an nine-game homestand 3-6. Atlanta third baseman Johan Camargo committed a critical error in the six-run eighth against the Red Sox, and the Braves allowed 11 unearned runs on the homestand after giving up the same number in their previous 41 games. The Braves would be in even more trouble were it not for 20-year-old rookie outfielder Ronald Acuna, who belted his eighth leadoff homer in 44 starts at the top of the lineup Wednesday. Arizona center fielder A.J. Pollock went 2-for-4 in Tuesday’s 6-0 win over the Padres and has reached base in 18 of his past 21 home games, while first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has reached safely in 38 of his past 39 games overall while hitting .344 in that span.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), FS Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Anibal Sanchez (6-5, 2.98 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Zack Greinke (13-9, 2.97)

Sanchez has provided everything the Braves could have hoped for when they signed the veteran in spring training, as he concluded August with a 2.93 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in six starts. The 34-year-old has surrendered only three runs (two earned) in his past two outings, a loss at Miami on Aug. 25 and a no-decision against Pittsburgh on Aug. 31. Sanchez got a no-decision against Arizona in Atlanta on July 13, striking out six with one run allowed in six innings.

Greinke continues authoring another outstanding season, entering Wednesday fifth in the NL in WHIP (1.05) and sixth in WAR for pitchers (4.1), while sitting seventh in strikeouts (176). The 34-year-old lost four of his six August starts despite posting a 2.97 ERA and holding opponents to a .201 batting average. Greinke, who gave up three runs on six hits over 7 1/3 innings to fall to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, beat the Braves in Atlanta on July 14 with 7 2/3 shutout innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Braves lost two-of-three to Arizona at home in July, and since the start of 2013 are 29-64 on the road against NL West foes (4-5 on the road this season; 9-18 overall).

2. Arizona will flip LHP Robbie Ray and RHP Zack Godley in the rotation, lining up Ray to start Sunday’s series finale and Godley - who has been placed on paternity leave - to start Monday against Colorado.

3. Diamondbacks OF David Peralta has eight doubles, five homers and 14 RBIs in his past 19 home games, but is 1-for-12 against Atlanta this season.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 7, Braves 3