Series preview: at Reds
When (TV): 7:10 p.m. Monday (SPSO), 7:10 p.m. Tuesday (SPSO), 12:35 p.m. Wednesday (SPSO).
Radio: 680, 93.7, 100.5
Probable starting pitchers:
Monday: Braves LH Paul Maholm (3-3, 3.08 ERA) vs. RH Bronson Arroyo (2-3, 3.95)
Tuesday: Braves RH Kris Medlen (1-4, 3.38) vs. RH Homer Bailey (1-3, 3.31)
Wednesday: Braves LH Mike Minor (3-2, 3.26) vs. RH Mike Leake (2-1, 4.15)
About the Braves:
Batting: Brian McCann is set to return from shoulder surgery Monday at Great American Ballpark, where he is hitting .333 with three doubles, 10 home runs and 19 RBIs in 22 games. Freddie Freeman, singled, doubled, homered and drove in three runs on Sunday against the Mets. He went 9-for-25 (.360) on the Braves homestand. Reed Johnson went 2-for-4 with his first three RBIs of the season Sunday. Dan Uggla is 4-for-12 with a home run, a triple and three runs scored in the past three games. He was 4-for-26 in his previous seven games.
Pitching: Maholm was a hard luck loser his last time out against the Nationals, giving up only two runs on an Ian Desmond homer in eight innings of a 2-0 loss to Jordan Zimmermann. He is 7-4 with a 3.70 ERA in 20 career starts against the Reds, but only 1-3 with a 4.37 ERA at Great American Ballpark.
Miscellaneous: The Braves lost all four of their games at Cincinnati last May 21-24, getting outscored 16-8. They've lost eight of their past 10 there overall.
About the Reds:
Batting: New leadoff man Shin-Soo Choo, a center fielder the Braves coveted over the winter, has reached base safely in 28 of his first 30 games with the Reds while posting a .465 on-base percentage. Redan High graduate Brandon Phillips moved into the cleanup spot with Ryan Ludwick's opening day injury and has answered with 26 RBIs to lead the Reds entering Sunday. Phillips went 3 for 12 with two home runs in the series against the Braves last May in Cincinnati.
Pitching: Arroyo has lost his past two starts, giving up seven earned runs in 13 innings against St. Louis and Washington, both on the road. His previous two starts at home, were dominating, when he allowed only two earned runs in eight innings each against the Marlins and Phillies. Closer Aroldis Chapman was 7-for-7 in save opportunities entering Sunday.
Miscellaneous: The Reds are 12-4 at Great American Ballpark, the best home record in the National League, and have won all five of their home series this year.
- Carroll Rogers
