NEXT: BOSTON RED SOX
Wednesday
Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV: SPSO
Probable starting pitchers: Braves LH Alex Wood (4-4, 3.56 ERA) vs. RH Joe Kelly (2-4, 5.45)
What's new: Wood has faced the Red Sox in relief – pitching 3 2/3 innings allowing two earned runs in two appearances last year – but this is his first start against them. He pitched a scoreless inning against the Red Sox at Turner Field last May 26 and gave up two earned runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings at Fenway Park two days later. Andrelton Simmons is the Brave with the most experience against Kelly and that's six at-bats (he has three hits). The Braves can lean on Shelby Miller for a good scouting report. Miller and Kelly were teammates in St. Louis for two years (2012, 2013) and came up together through the minors.
Comment: Wood is 4-1 with a 2.58 ERA in eight starts on the road this season but 0-3 with a 6.00 ERA in four starts at Turner Field. He's coming off his first loss on the road all season giving up five runs (four earned) in 6 1/3 innings in New York where he walked a season-high four batters and struck out six against the Mets. Kelly was traded from the Cardinals along with Allen Craig to the Red Sox at the July 31 deadline last year for Corey Littrell and John Lackey. He faced the Braves twice as a Cardinal in 2013, going 1-0 with a 1.45 ERA, allowing only two earned runs in 12 1/3 innings.
Thursday
Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV: SPSO
Probable starting pitchers: Braves RH Shelby Miller (5-2, 2.02) vs. RH Clay Buchholz (3-6, 4.22)
Comment: The Braves have only faced Buchholz once, last May 26 at Turner Field, and chased him from the game after piling up six runs in three innings off him. He's in a mini-slump right now, having allowed four runs in each of his past two starts and 18 hits in 10 2/3 innings over that time. The Braves won Miller's last start in extra-innings against the Mets, but he has not recorded a win since May 17 in Miami, when he came one out away from throwing a no-hitter. Since then, Miller has gone 0-1 with a 3.23 ERA in five starts.
- Carroll Rogers Walton
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