Series preview: at Reds
When (TV): 7:10 p.m. today (SPSO); 4:10 p.m. Saturday (Fox); 8:05 p.m. Sunday (ESPN)
Radio: 680, 93.7, 100.5
Probable starting pitchers:
Today: Braves RH Jair Jurrjens (12-3, 2.26 ERA) vs. RH Bronson Arroyo (7-8, 5.57)
Saturday: Braves RH Derek Lowe (6-7, 4.37 ERA) vs. RH Homer Bailey (4-4, 3.74)
Sunday: Braves RH Brandon Beachy (3-2, 3.75 ERA) vs. LH Dontrelle Willis (0-1, 3.38)
About the Braves:
Batting: Dan Uggla rides a 12-game hitting streak into the series, while hitting .333 with four doubles, five homers, and nine RBIs, but he is nursing a strained calf. He hoped to return Friday, but it might be Saturday or Sunday. Freddie Freeman homered Thursday, his 15th of the season and sixth in eight games against the Rockies this season.
Pitching: Jurrjens gave up a season-high six runs to the Nationals in his first outing after the All-Star break, having pitched only 1 2/3 innings of the All-Star game in an 11-day span. He held the Reds to one run on six hits in eight innings of a 2-1 win over Johnny Cueto on May 29 at Turner Field. It was his first career win in five starts against the Reds (1-3, 5.14 ERA).
Miscellaneous: The Braves will miss the Reds’ most consistent pitcher this season — Cueto. The Braves have lost 11 of their past 16 games at Great American Ballpark.
About the Reds:
Batting: After being shut out in back-to-back losses to the Pirates, while stranding 18 runners, the Reds beat the Pirates 3-1 on Wednesday. Joey Votto, who hit .400 (4-for-10) in a three-game series against the Braves in May, has hit only .217 (5-for-23) since the All-Star break. He took back-to-back 0-fers against the Pirates, only the second time he had done that this season.
Pitching: Arroyo has allowed four or more runs in each of his past four starts, while going 1-2 with an 8.25 ERA. Forty of his 75 runs allowed this season have come via the homer. He gave up five runs in three innings to the Braves in a no-decision May 28. He has allowed five or more runs in three of his past five outings against the Braves since 2007.
Miscellaneous: The Reds were considered a favorite in the National League Central entering the season, but trail three teams in the Central (Brewers, Pirates and Cardinals). The Reds are trying to win back-to-back games for the first time since winning three in a row June 13-15.
About the Author
