Series preview: at Cubs
When (TV): 8:05 p.m. Monday (WPCH); 8:05 p.m. Tuesday (WPCH); 8:05 p.m. Wednesday (WPCH); 2:20 p.m. Thursday (SPSO)
Radio: 680, 93.7, 100.5
Probable starting pitchers:
Monday: Braves RH Jair Jurrjens (12-5, 2.84 ERA) vs. RH Ryan Dempster (10-8, 4.61)
Tuesday: Braves LH Mike Minor (3-2, 4.26) vs. RH Casey Coleman (2-5, 7.43)
Wednesday: Braves RH Derek Lowe (8-11, 4.73 ERA) vs. RH Randy Wells (4-4, 5.84)
Thursday: Braves RH Brandon Beachy (6-2, 3.32 ERA) vs. RH Matt Garza (6-9, 3.62)
About the Braves:
• Batting: Dan Uggla hit .333 (11-for-33) with five home runs on the Braves' recent 10-game homestand, including three home runs in a three-game series against the Cubs. Chipper Jones hit .423 (11-for-26) with three home runs in the homestand, including 5-for-9 with two doubles, a home run and four RBIs against the Cubs.
• Pitching: Craig Kimbrel needs one save to tie Rangers closer Neftali Feliz for the major league rookie record of 40 in a season. Jurrjens gave up five runs in six innings in a 7-5 loss Wednesday, the Braves only loss in their past seven games. Jurrjens had skipped two starts while on the DL resting right knee inflammation. He is 0-2 with a 6.52 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break.
• Miscellaneous: The Braves lost two of three to the Cubs to begin their most recent homestand, before bouncing back to go 6-1 against the Giants and Diamondbacks.
About the Cubs:
• Batting: Entering Sunday night, the Cubs were leading the majors with 29 home runs in August. Aramis Ramirez hit his 24th home run of the season Saturday and his majors-leading 12th on the first pitch. Since Starlin Castro's four-hit game against the Braves on Aug. 13, he was 6-for-29 (.207), entering Sunday.
• Pitching: Dempster, who didn't face the Braves last week at Turner Field, took no-decisions in two starts against them last year – both Cubs losses – despite allowing only three earned runs in 14 innings. Since giving up six runners in three innings to the Phillies on July 20, Dempster has made five straight quality starts. He gave up two runs in seven innings in Houston in his last outing.
• Miscellaneous: Cubs GM Jim Hendry was fired since the Braves faced the Cubs a week ago. The Cubs won five of seven after pitcher Carlos Zambrano left the team following his outing against the Braves on Aug. 12 when he gave up five home runs and was put on the disqualified list.
-Carroll Rogers
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