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Braves ML (-118): It's hard not roll with this team right now, they are clicking on all cylinders are breathing down the necks of the Nats for the AL East division lead. They are also the current wild card leaders in large part to there current 10-2 run they are on. The Braves will be facing a depleted Phillies squad who they just swept last month. Could revenge be a factor? Sure, but just because a team is seeking revenge, doesn't exactly mean they will get it. At the end of the day they still have to actually play the game and get it done on the field. This is a tough task for the a team with a very depleted line up and shaky pitching. The Phillies will be sending Vance Worley to the mound to attempt to stop rain on the Braves parade. On the year Worley is 6-6 with a 3.63 era, but he has struggled at home this year going 2-3 with a 4.72 era. He has a whip of 1.50 in home starts, while giving up 23 free passes in just 53 innings of work. He has surrendered 7 home runs in 9 home starts, including allowing home runs in 4 of his last 5 home starts. An elevated WHIP and vulnerability to the long ball will pose as a serious problem vs a Braves team who is swinging the bats very well lately and have a line up full of people capable of hitting home runs. It wouldn't be a far fetched to think Worley gives up 2 home runs in this game. The Braves are ranked #8 in the league vs right handed pitching on the year and are only getting better. The Braves as team have had success against Worley (in a small sample size). Bourn, Heyward, Freeman, Jones, McCann and Uggla are batting a combined .350 (14-40) with the hits pretty evenly distributed amongst them. On the hill in this game for the Braves will be Ben Sheets, who will look to continue upon what has been a successful return to the big leagues. Sheets enters this contest with a 3-1 record and a 1.46 era. This guy has poured his heart and soul into all 4 of his outings so far. I have watched all 4 of his starts and have seen how focused and determined he has been. He truly looks like he is doing all he can to be a big part in this playoff run for the Braves. He is definitely making the most of this opportunity based on his numbers so far this season. In his 4 starts, he has yet to allow a home run, his command has been good only allowing 6 walks (1.5 a game), while striking out 23 (5.7 a game). His WHIP did rise to a 1.22 after allowing a 11 hits in his last outing vs Miami. I fully expect this season veteran to have a strong bounce back performance in this affair. He will face a Phillies team who ranks in the middle of the pack against right handed pitching (#16). Sheets is also 1 month removed from a strong outing vs the Phillies, who have only gotten worst line up wise since then. In the July 8th outing against the Phillies, Sheets went 6 strong innings, allowing just 1 run, on 6 hits, and 1 walk, en route to a 6-1 Braves victory.  In the later stages of the game the Braves will have a huge advantage. The Braves enter this contest ranked #1 in the bullpen, meanwhile the Phillies are again in the middle of the pack ranked #16. The Braves will have the better line up, the better starting pitcher and the better bullpen heading into this game. I can't even say the Phillies have the advantage being home in this game honestly. Sure they might be at home, but they are 7 games below .500 with a 23-30 home record this year. Meanwhile the Braves are one of the best in all of baseball with a road record of 30-20. This is another big game for the Braves with lots of implications riding with there own division and the wild card race. I like there chances of a getting a W.

Reds ML (+121): The hottest team in baseball loses a game and they instantly become an underdog against a Brewers team who is playing terrible baseball lately. Granted, I realize the Reds are the dog in this game because of the pitching advantage on paper for the Brewers. I am set to challenge that advantage though, because the Reds have had a ton of success against Gallardo. Let's start with the "least" productive out of the group Drew Stubs, he is batting .227 (5-22), with 4 of those hits being XBH, Brandon Phillips is batting .278 (9-33), with 4 of those being XBH, then we start to really heat up, Ryan Ludwick is batting .353 (6-17) with 3 of those being home runs, Scott Rolen is batting .381 (8-21) with 3 of those being XBH, then last but not least we have Jay Bruce, who is batting .462 (12-26) with 4 of those being XBH. The heart of the line up for the red hot Reds team has crushed Gallardo. Then you add in the wild card rookies Cozart and Heisy, and it could spell a long day for Gallardo and the Brewers. Not too surprising Gallardo is 4-5 with a 5.04 era vs the Reds, and plenty of guys not named Joey Votto have been contributing factors. In a July 21st start this year Gallardo lasted just 5 innings, allowing 4 runs on 9 hits and ended up on the losing end of a 6-2 score. Gallardo has also struggled big time in his last 3 outings going 1-2 with a 6.11 era. He has also allowed home runs in 5 straight games. That could be a recipe for disaster for a team more then capable of hitting the long ball, especially with a line up full of people who have done just that vs Gallardo. Meanwhile, the Reds will be countering with Bronson Arroyo. Let me be the first one to say, I am not a big Arroyo fan for obvious reasons. That being said, it took a lot of digging for me to really wanna make this play. But I was happy to see that Arroyo has had pretty good success against the Brewers. In 24 career contests Arroyo is 13-8 with a 3.67 era. He also had a good outing vs the Brewers on July 21st of this season. In that start he went 6 innings, allowing just 2 runs on 5 hits, while walking 2 and striking out 6 in a 6-2 home win. Bronson also enters this game on a probably his hottest run of the season, he is 3-0 with a 2.89 era in his last 3 outings. Bronson has also enjoyed pitching on the road this season where he is 5-4 with a 3.39 era, but a low WHIP of 1.10 compared to his 1.40 WHIP at home. The Brewers will have a slight advantage in terms of rankings against right handed pitching. The Reds enter as #20, and the Brewers enter as #11. But for all the reasons mentioned above, I think the hottest team in Baseball will be able to overcome that. As the line has indicated, this could be a very close game. In the later stages of the game when the bullpen comes into play, you gotta love the HUGE advantage the Reds will have. The Reds rank #2 just behind Atlanta, meanwhile the Brewers rank #18, but lately they have been even worst then that. I expect the Reds to have the lead in this one, but if they are losing late in this one, I like the added advantage of going against the Brewers bullpen. The Reds are the road this year have had success and their 30-22 mark ranks them as one of the best. During there current 15-2 run, the Reds have won 9 in a row on the road. Travel should play no factor in this one, with both teams having short flights after there Sunday contests. Only small benefit from the Reds who had a afternoon game and the Brew crew playing a late Sunday Night Baseball game and arriving in the Wisconsin area much later.