Series preview: vs. Marlins
When (TV): 7:35 p.m. Friday (FSSO), 7:10 p.m. Saturday (FSSO), 5:05 p.m. Sunday (FSSO)
Radio: 680, 93.7, 100.5
Probable starting pitchers:
Friday: Braves RH Julio Teheran (10-7, 3.08 ERA) vs. RH Jose Fernandez (10-5, 2.30)
Saturday: Braves LH Mike Minor (13-5, 2.99) vs. RH Jacob Turner (3-5, 3.12)
Sunday: Braves LH Alex Wood (3-2, 2.27) vs. RH Nathan Eovaldi (2-5, 3.76)
About the Braves:
Batting: Chris Johnson had a game-winning twice in the Braves' previous seven games before Thursday, including his first career walk-off single Wednesday night. That single gave him 32 two-out RBIs, which ranks fifth in the National League. After going 3-for-34 with no extra-base hits or RBIs in his first 10 games back from the disabled list, Jordan Schafer went 5-for-12 with a double, a triple and three RBIs in his past three games entering Thursday.
Pitching: Teheran will duel a fellow top NL rookie pitcher for the second consecutive start after taking a 6-2 loss to Shelby Miller in St. Louis. Teheran has lost two of his past three starts, while allowing four earned runs in six innings each time. Teheran has won his other three August starts, allowing one or no runs. Wood faces Eovaldi on Sunday in a rematch of the 1-0 Braves' loss Aug. 10 that snapped their 14-game win streak.
Miscellaneous: The Braves are 8-4 against the Marlins this season, but only 3-3 at Turner Field compared with 5-1 at Marlins Park.
About the Marlins:
Batting: Justin Ruggiano hit .464 (13-for-28) with two doubles, three home runs and eight RBIs over his previous nine games before Thursday. Giancarlo Stanton hit four home runs in his past 11 games before Thursday. Manager Mike Redmond experimented with dropping him to the cleanup spot for a game, but moved him back to No. 3 for the series finale. The Braves have limited Stanton to 4-for-34 (.118) without a homer this season.
Pitching: The 21-year-old hard-throwing Fernandez faces the Braves for the first time. He leads the major leagues with a 0.82 ERA in August (minimum 20 innings), edging out Wood's 0.90. He has allowed three earned runs in 33 innings over his past five starts, while striking out 41 and walking nine. The Marlins have won seven of his past eight starts.
Miscellaneous: The Marlins lost seven of their previous eight games before Thursday's series finale in Washington. Their lone win came 3-0 against the Rockies in Fernandez's last start, when he pitched seven shutout innings.
