Weather permitting, the Braves and Cubs will meet for the third consecutive day Wednesday night, and the second game of a three-game series at SunTrust Park.
On the mound for the first-place Braves will be right-hander Brandon McCarthy, and he enters the game coming off disastrous back-to-back starts.
On May 5, McCarthy gave up 12 hits in 3-1/3 innings, and May 11 he allowed 11 hits in five innings. Over those two starts, McCarthy was rocked for 14 runs on 23 hits in 8-1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out five, and allowed three home runs.
The Braves need McCarthy to stop his own slump to help them bounce back from Tuesday’s 3-2 loss, when the Cubs scored two runs in the ninth inning.
Last season, McCarthy hit the skids for four consecutive outings from June 25-July 20. In those four games, McCarthy gave up 26 hits in 17-2/3 innings and allowed 15 earned runs (for a 7.64 ERA). He got out of the fifth inning once in those four starts.
Four days later, the Dodgers put McCarthy in the disabled list, and he didn’t pitch again until Sept. 23, when he made the first of three relief appearances to end the season.
The Braves (25-16) remain in first place in the National League East, leading the Phillies (23-16) by a game, with the Nationals (24-18) right behind, 1-1/2 games back. The Braves also have the best record in the NL.
If you want to watch tonight’s game, here are some details:
Network: Fox Sports South
Time: 7:10 p.m.
Radio: 680 AM/93.7 FM/106.7 FM
Scheduled starting pitchers: RH Brandon McCarthy (4-2, 5.58) of the Braves and RH Tyler Chatwood (3-3, 3.35) of the Cubs.
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