Friday’s game: Braves at Cardinals
Where: Busch Stadium, St. Louis
When: 8:15 p.m.
TV/Radio: FSSO/680, 93.7, 106.7
Probable starting pitchers: Braves LH Manny Banuelos (1-1, 1.08 ERA) vs. LH Tim Cooney (0-0, 3.33)
What's new: Coming off a series win over the Dodgers, the Braves play their second consecutive series against a division-leading opponent. This might be their most "awkward" series since facing the Padres and the Upton brothers in early June, as they'll see Jason Heyward in a Cardinals uniform for the first time, and Shelby Miller will pitch against him former Cardinals teammates Saturday. The Braves have won four of their past five home series, but have won one of their previous eight road series, dating to mid-May. The Braves aren't exact coming in hot as an offense, but they have seen some good signs lately from Andrelton Simmons, who is 7-for-21 (.333) with five walks over his past seven games. This is after he was 3-for-36 (.083) the first 11 games of July.
— Carroll Rogers Walton
