Series preview: vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
When (TV): 7:35 p.m. Friday (FSSO), 4:10 p.m. Saturday (FS1), 1:35 p.m. Sunday (FSSO)
Radio: 680, 93.7, 106.7
Probable starting pitchers:
Friday: Braves RH Ervin Santana (6-5, 4.05 ERA) vs. RH Josh Collmenter (7-4, 3.74 ERA)
Saturday: Braves RH Aaron Harang (7-6, 3.69) vs. RH Michael Bolsinger (1-4, 4.53)
Sunday: Braves LH Alex Wood (6-6, 3.19) vs. LH Wade Miley (3-6, 4.78)
About the Braves:
Batting: B.J. Upton has hit safely in nine consecutive games since Fredi Gonzalez moved him to the leadoff spot, while going 10-for-37 (.270) with a double, a triple, and home run and three RBIs. Chris Johnson is 8-for-20 (.400) with two doubles and six RBIs in the past five games, including a double that drove in all three runs in the Braves' 3-1 win over the Mets on Wednesday.
Pitching: When the Braves scored 10 runs in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday in Philadelphia, they snapped a four-game losing streak with Santana on the mound. Santana held the Phillies to two runs in 6 2/3 innings while striking out nine in a 10-3 win to win his first start since May 31. He had been 0-3 with a 5.89 ERA over his previous three starts. He is 2-0 with a 0.82 ERA in three career starts against the Diamondbacks.
Miscellaneous: The Braves enter the series on a season-high seven-game winning streak, with a one-half game lead on the Washington Nationals in the National League East. The Braves lost two of three to the Diamondbacks in Arizona on June 6-8, taking both losses by one run.
About the Diamondbacks:
Batting: Paul Goldschmidt, who leads the NL All-Star voting at first base, was 5-for-7 with a double, a walk and a stolen base in the first two games of the Pirates series. He is third in the National League with 53 RBIs. Martin Prado has hit .364 (12-for-33) with a double in nine career games against his former team, including 4-for-13 in the June series in Arizona.
Pitching: Collmenter has a 1.73 ERA in six career games against the Braves, including three starts, allowing only five earned runs in 26 innings. He started his first three games against the Braves in 2011-12, allowing five earned runs in 18 innings, but was 1-2. He has wins in each of his past three outings for Arizona, one in relief and two starts, while allowing two earned runs in 11 innings. Closer Addison Reed had blown two of his previous four save opportunities entering Thursday and has four blown save chances this season.
Miscellaneous: The Diamondbacks had lost three in a row entering their series finale against the Pirates on Thursday night. Mark Trumbo has begun a minor league rehabilitation assignment, but isn't likely to return from his broken foot until after the All-Star break.
