Florida @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 25, 2010 ) Atlanta 4, Florida 5
The Atlanta Braves would be hard-pressed to take a glass half-full approach to their just-completed disastrous series in Colorado.
Not only were the Braves swept in the three-game set, but they had the dubious distinction of coughing up a nine-run lead and losing Wednesday's series finale to the Rockies 12-10.
Think it's possible to find a silver lining in that mess? Well ... yes.
Atlanta returns home to open a three-game series against the Florida Marlins on Friday night. Just being back in the friendly confines of Turner Field will provide some solace for the Braves, who are a major league-best 44-17 at home this season.
Also, despite pitching a zero against the Rockies, Atlanta actually managed to add to its lead in the National League East when the Philadelphia Phillies - its nearest pursuer in the division - absorbed a shocking four-game sweep at home by the lowly Houston Astros.
That adds up to a three-game lead for the Braves as they open a seven-game homestand against division rivals Florida and the New York Mets.
Tommy Hanson (8-9) takes the hill for Atlanta tonight trying to snap a four-game losing streak and end a drought of nine starts without a victory despite a number of stellar outings.
The 6-6 right-hander, who will turn 24 on Saturday, would like to give himself an early birthday present against an opponent he has dominated in his brief career.
In four starts vs. Florida, Hanson is 3-0 with a 2.19 ERA. In fact, his only matchup against the Marlins this season resulted in his last victory, when he allowed one unearned run and five hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 4-1 victory on July 3.
In his nine starts since, Hanson is 0-4 with five no-decisions despite allowing a total of 21 runs and yielding two runs or fewer in six of those outings.
Hanson was shaky last time out in a loss to the Chicago Cubs, giving up five runs on seven hits in five innings, but in his previous threes starts, he went seven innings in each and gave up a total of three runs and 10 hits – and came away with three no-decisions.
He’ll have to be careful with Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who went 10-for-15 as Florida took two out of three games from the Mets.
Marlins right-hander Chris Volstad (7-9) will oppose Hanson. He went six innings – the longest outing of any of his 13 previous starts – in beating Houston last Saturday, giving up two runs on five hits.
In his only start against the Braves this season, Volstad gave up three runs and five hits in six innings but didn’t factor in the decision in Florida’s 5-4 win on July 25.
Braves second baseman Omar Infante carries a 14-game hitting streak into tonight’s game. He is batting .409 (25-for-61) in that stretch.