Series preview: Braves vs. Dodgers

When (TV): 7:35 p.m. Friday (FSSO), 7:10 p.m. Saturday (FSSO), 1:35 p.m. Sunday (FSSO)

Radio: 680, 93.7, 100.5

Probable starting pitchers:

Friday: Braves LH Paul Maholm (4-4, 3.94 ERA) vs. LH Hyun-Jin Ryu (4-2, 3.40)

Saturday: Braves RH Kris Medlen (1-5, 3.44) vs. LH Chris Capuano (1-2, 6.60)

Sunday: Braves LH Mike Minor (5-2, 2.75) vs. RH Matt Magill (0-0, 6.92)

About the Braves:

Batting: The Braves are expected to have their lineup intact for the first time this season Friday when Jason Heyward returns from the DL. He joins Brian McCann, who made his comeback from shoulder surgery last week in Cincinnati. Jordan Schafer, who went 9-for-27 (.333) with two triples on the Braves' recent road trip, is expected to be back on the bench with Heyward's return. B.J. Upton went 3-for-27 (.111) with 13 strikeouts on the trip.

Pitching: After winning his first three starts of the season with 20 2/3 shutout innings, Maholm has lost four of his past five, while allowing 21 earned runs in 27 2/3 innings (6.83 ERA). He's coming off a 10-1 loss in San Francisco, where he gave up six earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. Maholm is 1-5 with a 4.91 ERA in nine career starts against the Dodgers.

Miscellaneous: The Braves are 5-9 in May after going 17-9 in April for their third-most April wins in franchise history. They are 9-5 at Turner Field this season and 13-13 on the road. Heyward, who missed nearly three weeks following an appendectomy, hit .300 (6-for-20) with one double and six RBIs in six games of a minor league rehabilitation with Triple-A Gwinnett.

About the Dodgers:

Batting: Adrian Gonzalez ranks third in the National League with a .349 batting average and leads the Dodgers with 27 RBIs. While the Braves are tied for the NL lead with 52 home runs, the Dodgers have hit only 26, which ranks 14th of 15 NL teams, ahead of only the Marlins. Carl Crawford leads the Dodgers with five home runs. Andre Ethier is hitting .311 (14-for-45) in May.

Pitching: The 17-22 Dodgers, who are last in the NL West, lost their first eight games in May, but have won four of their past five. The won their past two games against the Nationals on the strength of dominating pitching by Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. Six of Ryu's eight starts this season have been quality starts, including 6 2/3 innings while allowing one run to beat Miami in his last start.

Miscellaneous: Rookie Matt Magill is starting Sunday in place of Josh Beckett, who is on the disabled list with a groin strain. The Dodgers are winless in each of his three starts this season. The Braves miss ace Kershaw, who has led the National League in ERA each of the past two seasons and is atop the NL again, tied for first with Shelby Miller at 1.40.