San Diego @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2014 ) Atlanta 3, San Diego 4

Every starting pitcher endures a bad outing through the course of a season, and Shelby Miller looks to bounce back after his roughest as a member of the Atlanta Braves. Miller takes the mound Tuesday as the Braves host the San Diego Padres seeking to move past last Tuesday’s effort at Arizona, in which he set season-worst marks for runs allowed and walks.

Atlanta lost two of three to Pittsburgh over the weekend and is 5-8 in its last 13 games. The Padres have won eight of their last 12 but had their four-game winning streak come to an end Sunday at Cincinnati. Will Middlebooks extended his hitting streak to seven games in the loss and is hitting .306 in 23 games since May 12. Former Brave Justin Upton, sent to San Diego in one of two big offseason deals between the franchises, has at least one hit in 17 of his last 23 contests.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN San Diego, SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Ian Kennedy (3-5, 6.60 ERA) vs. Braves RH Shelby Miller (5-2, 1.89)

Kennedy snapped a four-game losing streak Tuesday against the New York Mets, allowing two runs and six hits en route to his first victory since May 6. He gave up 20 runs and 24 hits over 19 1/3 innings during his skid, surrendering seven home runs while posting a 9.31 ERA. Kennedy, who has received four or more runs of support in seven of his nine outings, is 2-0 with a 3.54 ERA in seven career starts against the Braves.

Miller’s 11th start of the season did not resemble any of his first 10, as he gave up four runs and six hits while issuing six walks in only 4 1/3 innings. He is winless in his last three starts – Atlanta rallied to take a lead before losing late to the Diamondbacks – but leads the National League in hits allowed per nine innings (5.93) and ranks second in ERA. Miller is limiting opponents to a .187 batting average and a .217 average on balls in play.

WALK-OFFS

1. San Diego OF Melvin Upton Jr., who hit .198 in two seasons with Atlanta before being dealt to the Padres in the trade involving Craig Kimbrel on April 5, is expected to be activated from the disabled list Monday.

2. Braves 3B Juan Uribe is hitting .314 in 10 games since being acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

3. Kimbrel has recorded 13 saves in his first season with San Diego and is one shy of 200 for his career.

PREDICTION: Braves 4, Padres 3