Preview: Braves vs. Phillies

Probable starting pitchers:

Friday: Braves RH Tim Hudson (1-0, 1.29 ERA) vs. LH Cliff Lee (1-0, 1.50)

Saturday: Braves RH Brandon Beachy (0-0, 1.50) vs. RH Roy Oswalt (1-0, 3.00)

Sunday: Braves RH Derek Lowe (1-1, 0.77) vs. LH Cole Hamels (0-1, 20.25)

About the Braves:

Batting: The Braves hit only .200, scored 2.0 runs per game and went 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position while losing three of four to the Brewers. Rookie Freddie Freeman was 1-for-13 in the series. ... Jason Heyward hit only .163 (7-for-43) last season vs. the Phillies.

Pitching: Hudson retired the last 17 batters he faced in his 2011 debut against the Nationals, allowing one run in seven innings. He beat the Phillies on the final day of the 2010 season to clinch the wild-card berth (four runs, seven innings). ... Beachy will face the Phillies for the third time in five major league starts.

Miscellaneous: Jair Jurrjens misses his third consecutive Phillies series with an injury; this time an oblique strain has him on the disabled list to open the season. The Braves are 4-2 in home openers since 2004, including last year's 16-5 win over the Cubs.

About the Phillies:

Batting: The Phillies have scored 21 runs in their past two games and seven or more four times in six games overall. All eight Phillies leadoff batters reached in Thursday's 11-0 win over the Mets. Ryan Howard is hitting .480 (11-for-25) with two homers and eight RBIs. He's 14-for-41 (.341) with six homers off Hudson.

Pitching: Lee is 1-1 with a 5.06 ERA in three career starts vs. the Braves, including one in interleague play with the Indians in 2004 and two starts with the Phillies in 2009. Braves shortstop Alex Gonzalez is 4-for-12 with a homer off him. ... Hamels took the only Phillies loss so far, allowing seven hits in 2 2/3 innings to the Mets.

Miscellaneous: Second baseman Chase Utley (knee), right fielder Domonic Brown (hand) and closer Brad Lidge (shoulder) are on the DL.