Series preview: vs Seattle Mariners
When (TV): 7:10 p.m. Tuesday (SPSO), 12:10 p.m. Wednesday (SPSO)
Radio: 680, 93.7, 106.7
Probable starting pitchers:
Tuesday: Braves RH Gavin Floyd (0-2, 2.37 ERA) vs. RH Erasmo Ramirez (1-4, 6.00 ERA)
Wednesday: Braves LH Mike Minor (2-3, 3.41) vs. RH Hisashi Iwakuma (3-1, 2.39)
About the Braves
Batting: Jason Heyward is 10-for-30 (.333) with a triple, two homers and six RBIs over his past seven games and has hit safely in 18 of his past 20 games. Second baseman Tommy La Stella is 6-for-15 (.400) with two walks and no strikeouts in five games since his major league debut. Freddie Freeman (.471, 8-for-17) is tied with Miguel Cabrera for the majors' lead in batting average with runners in scoring position and two outs. The Braves went 8-for-23 (.348) with runners in scoring position during their weekend sweep of the Marlins after going 8-for-36 (.222) in RBI situations while losing four in a row to the Red Sox.
Pitching: Floyd is winless in five starts in his comeback from Tommy John surgery, despite allowing two or fewer earned runs in four of those starts. He has pitched at least five innings every start. He's 4-4 with a 4.73 ERA in 16 games (14 starts) for his career against the Mariners, all as a member of the White Sox. Craig Kimbrel enters the series one save shy of breaking John Smoltz's career record for saves by a Brave (154).
Miscellaneous: The Braves are 6-3 all-time against the Mariners and face them for the first time since 2011. This is only the second time the two teams have met at Turner Field and first since 2008 when the Braves won two of three. The Braves are looking for their first win in interleague play this season after going 0-4 against the Red Sox.
About the Mariners
Batting: Robinson Cano, the Mariners' $240 million free agent acquisition, had missed four straight games with a bone bruise on his left hand heading into Monday's makeup game against the Yankees. He is considered day to day. Cano hit .327 with two home runs and 31 RBIs in 52 games with the Mariners. This is Cano's third visit to Turner Field. He went 4-for-19 with a double and an RBI in two series with the Yankees in 2009 and 2012. Michael Saunders is third in the AL batting .379 (11-for-29) with runners in scoring position.
Pitching: The Braves just missed facing ace Felix Hernandez, who was scheduled to pitch Monday in Yankee Stadium in a makeup game for an April 30 rainout. He is 7-1 with a 2.57 ERA. Instead, they're expected to face Ramirez on Tuesday (that spot was initially undetermined) and he hasn't won since April 1. The Mariners have lost each of his past five starts, while he's allowed 18 earned runs in 23 innings, given up six home runs, walked 12 and struck out 18.
Miscellaneous: Former Marlin Logan Morrison, who is on the disabled list with a hamstring strain, has begun a minor league injury rehab assignment. The Mariners have the second-best team ERA in the American League (3.54) behind Oakland (2.93).
Carroll Rogers
