GAME 1
Impressive starting pitching this month has kept the Atlanta Braves in control of the NL East. A big reason Atlanta has a two-game division lead even with second-place Philadelphia on a 17-5 tear is a rotation which has a 1.60 ERA in 13 games this month. The club's starters are 5-2 in August the bullpen blew three other potential wins while holding opponents to a .210 average. Jair Jurjjens will get the call for the Tomahawks. Only once in August has a Braves starter given up more than three runs and Jurrjens hasn't done that at home in more than a year heading into a matchup with the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. Jurrjens (4-4, 4.16 ERA) has gone 4-1 with a 3.14 ERA in eight starts since missing two months with a strained hamstring. He's pitched into the seventh inning in five of his last six, including 7 1/3 innings Tuesday as he gave up two runs one earned without getting a decision in a 4-2 win at Houston. The Braves have won all six of his home outings this season as the right-hander has gone 4-0 with a 1.91 ERA. He's made 12 consecutive starts at Turner Field without surrendering more than three runs. That streak dates back to his last outing against Los Angeles on Aug. 2, 2009, when he was tagged for four runs and 10 hits in five innings of a 9-1 loss.
It has been a different story for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They have not scored more than three runs in 17 of its last 23 games. Los Angeles was shut out for the second time in three games Friday as Braves ace Tim Hudson went eight innings, then scored once in six innings against Derek Lowe on Saturday but won 2-1. The Dodgers (60-57) snapped a three-game losing streak Saturday and won for the third time in 15 road games. Vicente Padilla (6-3, 3.32) has a winning record, but has had his share of problems on the road, posting a 5.14 ERA. He hadn't allowed more than two runs in eight straight starts until Tuesday, when he gave up four runs in five innings but beat Philadelphia in a 15-9 victory. Torre made a major move this week in an effort to help the Dodgers' dim playoff hopes, replacing the struggling Jonathan Broxton with Hong-Chih Kuo as closer. Kuo worked a perfect ninth to save Saturday's game and said he could pitch again Sunday, though Torre is wary of using him on consecutive days and expects Octavio Dotel to serve as closer. Too many problems going on with Torre and Dodgers to take them in this spot. The Road has not been kind to Padilla or the Dodgers this year. Backing the Braves here with Jurjjens on the hill.
1* ATLANTA BRAVES -136
Impressive starting pitching this month has kept the Atlanta Braves in control of the NL East. A big reason Atlanta has a two-game division lead even with second-place Philadelphia on a 17-5 tear is a rotation which has a 1.60 ERA in 13 games this month. The club's starters are 5-2 in August the bullpen blew three other potential wins while holding opponents to a .210 average. Jair Jurjjens will get the call for the Tomahawks. Only once in August has a Braves starter given up more than three runs and Jurrjens hasn't done that at home in more than a year heading into a matchup with the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. Jurrjens (4-4, 4.16 ERA) has gone 4-1 with a 3.14 ERA in eight starts since missing two months with a strained hamstring. He's pitched into the seventh inning in five of his last six, including 7 1/3 innings Tuesday as he gave up two runs one earned without getting a decision in a 4-2 win at Houston. The Braves have won all six of his home outings this season as the right-hander has gone 4-0 with a 1.91 ERA. He's made 12 consecutive starts at Turner Field without surrendering more than three runs. That streak dates back to his last outing against Los Angeles on Aug. 2, 2009, when he was tagged for four runs and 10 hits in five innings of a 9-1 loss.
It has been a different story for the Los Angeles Dodgers. They have not scored more than three runs in 17 of its last 23 games. Los Angeles was shut out for the second time in three games Friday as Braves ace Tim Hudson went eight innings, then scored once in six innings against Derek Lowe on Saturday but won 2-1. The Dodgers (60-57) snapped a three-game losing streak Saturday and won for the third time in 15 road games. Vicente Padilla (6-3, 3.32) has a winning record, but has had his share of problems on the road, posting a 5.14 ERA. He hadn't allowed more than two runs in eight straight starts until Tuesday, when he gave up four runs in five innings but beat Philadelphia in a 15-9 victory. Torre made a major move this week in an effort to help the Dodgers' dim playoff hopes, replacing the struggling Jonathan Broxton with Hong-Chih Kuo as closer. Kuo worked a perfect ninth to save Saturday's game and said he could pitch again Sunday, though Torre is wary of using him on consecutive days and expects Octavio Dotel to serve as closer. Too many problems going on with Torre and Dodgers to take them in this spot. The Road has not been kind to Padilla or the Dodgers this year. Backing the Braves here with Jurjjens on the hill.
1* ATLANTA BRAVES -136