Atlanta @ San Francisco preview

Last Meeting ( May 6, 2018 ) San Francisco 4, Atlanta 3

The Atlanta Braves begin a three-game road series against the San Francisco Giants on Monday full of momentum after two straight stirring victories that could propel them to the National League East crown. The Braves belted three homers during a six-run ninth inning to stun Arizona 9-5 on Sunday as they won three of the four contests in the set to extend their division lead over slumping Philadelphia to 4 ½ games.

Ronald Acuna Jr. did not go deep in the decisive ninth, recording a triple in the frame, but launched his 25th of the year - a two-run shot - three innings earlier to tie Eddie Mathews and Orlando Cepeda for the fifth-most homers in a single season prior to turning 21 years old. Ender Inciarte’s blast jump-started the rally as the Braves won for the 19th time this season in their final at-bat, tying the Giants for the NL lead. San Francisco enters the series with a season-worst eight-game losing streak after Sunday’s 6-3 defeat at Milwaukee. Brandon Crawford is hitting .181 since July 1 while battling a sore left knee, but he did record two hits and score a run on Sunday.

TV: 10:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Southeast (Atlanta), NBCS Bay Area (San Francisco)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves LH Sean Newcomb (11-8, 3.92 ERA) vs. Giants RH Dereck Rodriguez (6-2, 2.41)

Newcomb clearly has hit a wall in his first full major-league season, giving up 35 hits over 23 2/3 innings while posting a 7.99 ERA and .333 opponents batting average in his last five starts. The 25-year-old matched a season high with five walks in 4 1/3 frames against Boston on Tuesday and gave up three runs en route to his third loss in four outings. Newcomb has pitched better this season on the road, going 7-3 with a 3.12 ERA in 14 starts.

Rodriguez has entrenched himself in the Giants' rotation thanks to an outstanding rookie season, one in which he has surrendered more than three earned runs just once in 15 starts. The 26-year-old has posted a 1.97 ERA and 0.87 WHIP in eight turns since the All-Star break, giving up one run on six hits and one walk with six strikeouts in a no-decision Tuesday at Colorado. Rodriguez finished August with a 2.16 ERA in four outings.

WALK-OFFS

1. San Francisco’s bullpen has posted a 5.32 ERA this month while issuing 15 walks in 22 innings.

2. Braves 3B Johan Camargo, who also went deep in the ninth inning on Sunday, is hitting .333 with three homers during his five-game hitting streak.

3. Atlanta’s bullpen also is struggling down the stretch, issuing 26 walks and allowing 24 runs in 32 2/3 innings this month.

PREDICTION: Giants 5, Braves 2