Atlanta Braves (23-23) at Arizona Diamondbacks (20-27), 9:40 p.m.
Atlanta Braves (23-23) at Arizona Diamondbacks (20-27), 9:40 p.m.
Atlanta Braves (23-23) at Arizona Diamondbacks (20-27), 9:40 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Atlanta - Derek Lowe (6-2, 3.45) Arizona - Dan Haren (3-4, 2.57)
- Lack of run support cost Arizona's Dan Haren some early- season victories, but his inability to keep the ball in the park cost him last time out. Haren aims to rebound tonight in the Diamondbacks' opener of a four- game series with the visiting Atlanta Braves at Chase Field.
Haren lost his first three starts of the season despite allowing just four earned runs, as his club totaled just one run over that span. The right- hander then posted three straight victories while lowering his earned run average to 1.47, but has hit a skid as of late.
Haren is 0-1 with a 4.95 ERA in three starts since that win streak and also had a three-inning effort on May 18 versus the Marlins wiped out due to rain. He was horrid last time out versus his former club, the Oakland Athletics, yielding season highs of five runs and nine hits, four of those home runs, over seven innings.
The 28-year-old is now 3-4 with a 2.57 ERA on the season and has struggled versus Atlanta in his career. In three starts versus the Braves, he is 2-1 despite a 6.88 ERA and has given up 13 runs over 17 innings against them.
Arizona fell in defeat, 8-5, yesterday versus San Diego for its third loss in four games following four consecutive victories. Billy Buckner allowed five runs on seven hits in five-plus innings to absorb the loss.
Justin Upton, though, continued his hot run. He is 12-for-24 over a six-game hitting streak, notching four doubles, three RBI and five runs scored. He collected three hits and drove in a pair of runs in Wednesday's loss.
"Justin was locked in and battled," manager A.J. Hinch told Arizona's official Web site. "He really put us in position to stay in it. Those are the types of at-bats we've talked about over the last couple of weeks where the game is slowing down for him and it doesn't matter what the level of competition is...He takes full control of his at-bats, and that's good to see."
Upton will take his swings tonight versus Derek Lowe, who has won five of his last six starts for the Braves, posting a 3.54 ERA in that time frame. Lowe has held opponents to just two runs in five of his last six starts, including Saturday versus Toronto. He also held the Blue Jays to just five hits over 7 1/3 innings to improve to 6-2 with a 3.45 ERA this season.
Though just 6-7 with a 3.66 ERA lifetime versus Arizona, Lowe went 3-1 in five starts against the club last year with a 2.05 ERA.
Stephen Drew, who had two hits and an RBI in Wednesday's loss for the Diamondbacks, is 14-for-27 (.519) lifetime versus Lowe with three doubles and a home run.
The Braves aim to rebound after getting swept in a three-game set by San Francisco for the first time since August 19-21, 2003. Chipper Jones reached an undesirable milestone in the contest, posting the first four-strikeout game of his career. Three of those came off Giants starter Randy Johnson.
Jones, who is battling a right foot injury, is still hitting .306 this year just one season removed from winning the National League batting title with a .364 average. He has two hits -- one a homer -- in four lifetime at-bats versus Haren.
"Right-handed it's tough on me right now," Jones told his team's site. "I have no back foot and no back side to push off or anything. I'm lunging really bad and I made everything Randy threw tonight three to four miles per hour harder."
Garret Anderson had a pinch-hit two run single for the Braves, who had won three straight coming into the series, while Kenshin Kawakami was charged with nine hits and four runs -- three earned -- over 5 2/3 innings.
The Braves have won five of their last seven versus the Diamondbacks, including three of four at Chase Field. The two teams split a weather- shortened two-game set in mid-May at Atlanta.
Atlanta Braves (23-23) at Arizona Diamondbacks (20-27), 9:40 p.m.
Atlanta Braves (23-23) at Arizona Diamondbacks (20-27), 9:40 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Atlanta - Derek Lowe (6-2, 3.45) Arizona - Dan Haren (3-4, 2.57)
- Lack of run support cost Arizona's Dan Haren some early- season victories, but his inability to keep the ball in the park cost him last time out. Haren aims to rebound tonight in the Diamondbacks' opener of a four- game series with the visiting Atlanta Braves at Chase Field.
Haren lost his first three starts of the season despite allowing just four earned runs, as his club totaled just one run over that span. The right- hander then posted three straight victories while lowering his earned run average to 1.47, but has hit a skid as of late.
Haren is 0-1 with a 4.95 ERA in three starts since that win streak and also had a three-inning effort on May 18 versus the Marlins wiped out due to rain. He was horrid last time out versus his former club, the Oakland Athletics, yielding season highs of five runs and nine hits, four of those home runs, over seven innings.
The 28-year-old is now 3-4 with a 2.57 ERA on the season and has struggled versus Atlanta in his career. In three starts versus the Braves, he is 2-1 despite a 6.88 ERA and has given up 13 runs over 17 innings against them.
Arizona fell in defeat, 8-5, yesterday versus San Diego for its third loss in four games following four consecutive victories. Billy Buckner allowed five runs on seven hits in five-plus innings to absorb the loss.
Justin Upton, though, continued his hot run. He is 12-for-24 over a six-game hitting streak, notching four doubles, three RBI and five runs scored. He collected three hits and drove in a pair of runs in Wednesday's loss.
"Justin was locked in and battled," manager A.J. Hinch told Arizona's official Web site. "He really put us in position to stay in it. Those are the types of at-bats we've talked about over the last couple of weeks where the game is slowing down for him and it doesn't matter what the level of competition is...He takes full control of his at-bats, and that's good to see."
Upton will take his swings tonight versus Derek Lowe, who has won five of his last six starts for the Braves, posting a 3.54 ERA in that time frame. Lowe has held opponents to just two runs in five of his last six starts, including Saturday versus Toronto. He also held the Blue Jays to just five hits over 7 1/3 innings to improve to 6-2 with a 3.45 ERA this season.
Though just 6-7 with a 3.66 ERA lifetime versus Arizona, Lowe went 3-1 in five starts against the club last year with a 2.05 ERA.
Stephen Drew, who had two hits and an RBI in Wednesday's loss for the Diamondbacks, is 14-for-27 (.519) lifetime versus Lowe with three doubles and a home run.
The Braves aim to rebound after getting swept in a three-game set by San Francisco for the first time since August 19-21, 2003. Chipper Jones reached an undesirable milestone in the contest, posting the first four-strikeout game of his career. Three of those came off Giants starter Randy Johnson.
Jones, who is battling a right foot injury, is still hitting .306 this year just one season removed from winning the National League batting title with a .364 average. He has two hits -- one a homer -- in four lifetime at-bats versus Haren.
"Right-handed it's tough on me right now," Jones told his team's site. "I have no back foot and no back side to push off or anything. I'm lunging really bad and I made everything Randy threw tonight three to four miles per hour harder."
Garret Anderson had a pinch-hit two run single for the Braves, who had won three straight coming into the series, while Kenshin Kawakami was charged with nine hits and four runs -- three earned -- over 5 2/3 innings.
The Braves have won five of their last seven versus the Diamondbacks, including three of four at Chase Field. The two teams split a weather- shortened two-game set in mid-May at Atlanta.
