Atlanta @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 28, 2014 ) Atlanta 10, Philadelphia 3

The last thing a team facing four games in 48 hours wants to deal with is injuries, but both the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies enter Saturday’s day-night doubleheader in Philadelphia with question marks at catcher. The Phillies placed Carlos Ruiz on the seven-day concussion disabled list Friday afternoon after he was hit in the head Thursday, and a few hours later the Braves saw Evan Gattis leave the series opener in the first inning with back spasms. Saturday’s doubleheader makes up an April 15 rainout.

Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman is hitting .385 in his past 12 games, going 3-for-5 with a homer and four RBIs in the Braves’ series-opening 4-2 victory Friday. The Phillies sit five games behind the first-place Braves and Washington Nationals in the National League East, but play 12 of their next 19 against division competition. Philadelphia has lost five of its past seven, scoring two runs or less in four of those defeats.

TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH David Hale (2-2, 3.14 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Sean O’Sullivan (2013: 0-2, 3.96)

Hale is 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA in four starts, and both of his losses have come in a two-day span during which he allowed 10 runs (seven earned) in 3 1/3 innings. One of those losses came to Philadelphia on June 16, when he allowed five runs (two earned) on three hits with three walks in one inning. Hale’s ERA is 1.99 outside of those two games.

O’Sullivan, who was signed by the Phillies as a free agent in the offseason, makes his season debut after going 3-6 with a 4.31 ERA in 15 starts for Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He made seven appearances (three starts) with San Diego last season, recording 14 walks and 12 strikeouts in 25 innings. O’Sullvan made his major-league debut with the Los Angeles Angels in 2009 and is 10-16 with a 5.89 in 50 career games, including 34 starts with the Angels and Kansas City.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Braves promoted RHP Gus Schlosser as the 26th man for the doubleheader to bolster their bullpen while O’Sullivan was called up as the Phillies' extra player.

2. Atlanta 2B Dan Uggla made only his second start since May 23 on Friday for slumping rookie 2B Tommy La Stella, who is 3-for-41 in his last 11 games.

3. Philadelphia 2B Chase Utley is two hits shy of 1,500 for his career.

PREDICTION: Phillies 7, Braves 4