Series preview: at Houston Astros
When (TV): 8:10 p.m. Tuesday (SPSO), 8:10 p.m. Wednesday (SPSO), 2:10 p.m. Thursday (SPSO)
Radio: 680, 93.7, 106.7
Probable starting pitchers:
Tuesday: Braves RH Aaron Harang (5-6, 3.83 ERA) vs. RH Scott Feldman (3-4, 3.95 ERA)
Wednesday: Braves LH Alex Wood (5-6, 3.43) vs. RH Collin McHugh (4-5, 2.76)
Thursday: Braves LH Mike Minor (2-4, 4.20) vs. RH Jared Cosart (7-5, 3.78)
About the Braves:
Batting: The Braves scored only one run on nine hits in back-to-back losses to the Nationals Saturday and Sunday, while going 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Evan Gattis' 20-game hitting streak ended Sunday in Washington when he went 0-for-3 with a walk. Gattis hit .386 (32-for-83) with three doubles, eight home runs and 21 RBIs over the streak, which was the longest by a Brave since Dan Uggla's 33-gamer in 2011. Since moving to the leadoff spot last Thursday, rookie Tommy La Stella is 2-for-20 with two walks and a double.
Pitching: Harang is coming off his second nine-run outing of the year, this time because he struggled to put away Phillies batters with two outs and two strikes. He gave up five runs on six consecutive two-out hits by the Phillies in the second inning. Wood will rejoin the Braves rotation for the first time since May 4 on Wednesday. Wood spent the next six weeks pitching out of the bullpen before the Braves sent him to Gwinnett to stretch back out. He returns after two minor league starts to pitch in Gavin Floyd's place after Floyd suffered a fractured elbow.
Miscellaneous: This is the first time the Braves have played the Astros, since their move to the American League last year. The Braves have won seven consecutive series against the Astros dating back to May of 2009, going 16-5 with a 2.76 ERA in that time. They haven't played at Minute Maid Park since Chipper Jones came off the disabled list to begin his final season with a hit and a home run on April 10, 2012. Chris Johnson, Jordan Schafer and David Carpenter all played for the Astros that day.
About the Astros:
Batting: Second baseman Jose Altuve is leading the American League with a .336 batting average and is 13-for-24 (.542) with two doubles over the past week. He's leading the majors with 103 hits. Atlanta native Dexter Fowler has hit .333 (26-for-78) in the month of June with five doubles, one triple, three home runs and eight RBIs. He homered to lead off Sunday's game against the Rays - a 5-2 loss - to snap an 0-for-12 streak. The Astros scored five runs in their four-game series against the Rays, while hitting only .144 (18-for-125).
Pitching: After winning his first two starts of the season, Feldman has won only one of his past 10, while going 1-4 with a 4.82 ERA and a .305 opponents' batting average. He left his most recent start with a 4-2 lead on the Nationals but the Astros bullpen gave up four runs in a 6-5 loss. Feldman, who spent the first eight years of his career with the Texas Rangers, has faced the Braves only twice. Last year he gave up four runs in 4 2/3 innings of a loss April 5 in Atlanta while with the Orioles. B.J. Upton is 1-for-13 with five strikeouts against Feldman.
Miscellaneous: The Astros have lost seven of their past nine games, including a pair of series losses to the Rays and a three-game sweep by the Nationals. The Astros are in last place in the AL West, 14 ½ games behind the Athletics, and they are only 16-24 at Minute Maid Park.
- Carroll Rogers
