Series preview: vs. Phillies
When (TV): 7:35 p.m. Friday (WPCH); 1:10 p.m. Saturday (WPCH); 1:47 p.m. Sunday (FSSO)
Radio: 680, 93.7, 100.5
Probable starting pitchers:
Friday: Braves RH Brandon Beachy (1-1, 2.98 ERA) vs. LH Cole Hamels (4-2, 2.83)
Saturday: Braves RH Jair Jurrjens (4-0, 1.50) vs. RH Joe Blanton (1-1, 5.83)
Sunday: Braves RH Tim Hudson (4-3, 3.09) vs. RH Roy Halladay (5-2, 2.05)
About the Braves:
• Batting: Brian McCann had an 11-game hitting streak entering Thursday's game, hitting .350 (14-for-40) with five doubles over that time. He was also leading the NL with a .500 (13-for-26) batting average with runners in scoring position. Chipper Jones collected his fourth home run of the season Thursday to reach base for the 22nd time in his past 27 games.
• Pitching: Beachy is 0-3 in three starts against the Phillies, despite a 3.94 ERA against them. He has won only one of his past four starts despite a 1.44 ERA in that time (four earned runs in 25 innings). Jurrjens is 4-0 with a 1.50 ERA in five starts since returning from an oblique strain. He beat the Phillies on Sunday (one run, 6 1/3 innings) to move to 4-3 with a 2.35 ERA in 10 career starts against them. That's the lowest ERA among 31 active pitchers with 50 or more IP against the Phillies.
• Miscellaneous: Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell returns from a two-week suspension for alleged inappropriate comments toward Giants fans. ... The Braves and Phillies will wear throwback Negro Leagues uniforms Saturday for MLB's Civil Rights Weekend and uniforms on Sunday from 1974, the year Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's home-run record.
About the Phillies:
• Batting: Shane Victorino had hit in 14 consecutive games through Wednesday, hitting .300 (18-for-60) with a double, four triples, and three home runs in that span. Ryan Howard had eight home runs on the season, including two in the past five games entering Thursday. Raul Ibanez is hitting .395 (15-for-38) in May.
• Pitching: Hamels gave up three runs on two homers in a 5-2 loss to the Braves on Saturday (Alex Gonzalez, Freddie Freeman). That broke a streak of four wins in five starts, with a 1.42 ERA in that time. ... Blanton just returned from the disabled list Monday (three earned runs, five innings vs. Marlins) and is still feeling elbow discomfort. ... The Braves face Halladay for the first time this season. He's 5-0 with a 1.26 ERA in five games (four starts) against the Braves in his career, including two complete games.
• Miscellaneous: Carlos Ruiz (back inflammation) is expected to be activated from the DL for this series, which is well-timed with an injury Wednesday to Brian Schneider's hamstring.
