San Francisco @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 3, 2015 ) San Francisco 8, Atlanta 9

Shelby Miller undoubtedly watched the Atlanta Braves scored nine runs Monday and hoped his teammates would save some offense for his start Tuesday, when the least-supported pitcher in the National League goes for the host Braves against the San Francisco Giants. The Braves have scored a grand total of 26 runs in Miller’s last 13 starts, a stretch during which the All-Star is 0-7.

The Braves rallied from a 6-0 deficit in the opener, tying the game on A.J. Pierzynski’s ninth-inning homer before Adonis Garcia’s two-run blast in the 12th gave Atlanta a 9-8 triumph, just its sixth victory in the past 21 games. Nick Markakis extended his hitting streak to 10 games and Jace Peterson collected his second consecutive three-hit performance. The Giants slugged four homers – Brandon Crawford hit two, with Brandon Belt and Buster Posey also going deep – but fell to 44-9 since the start of 2014 when San Francisco belts at least two homers. San Francisco has scored 205 runs this season with two outs (six Monday), accounting for 44.8 percent of its season run output.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, CSN Bay Area (San Francisco), SportSouth (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Giants RH Jake Peavy (2-4, 4.12 ERA) vs. Braves RH Shelby Miller (5-8, 2.44)

Peavy missed two months with a back injury following two difficult starts to begin the season, but the 34-year-old has bolstered the San Francisco rotation in his return. He finished July with a 2.84 ERA in five starts, winning back-to-back outings over Arizona on July 18 and against Oakland six days later. Peavy closed the month with six shutout innings Wednesday against Milwaukee, taking a no-decision while not walking a batter for the second consecutive start.

Miller gave up four runs on 11 hits in six innings to lose his fourth start in a row Thursday at Philadelphia, after allowing two runs across 13 1/3 frames in his previous two outings – both resulting in defeats. The Braves have scored two runs or less in seven of Miller’s starts; he is 0-7 despite a 2.08 ERA. Miller lost to the Giants on May 28 in San Francisco, giving up one run on five hits in seven innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Giants placed 2B Joe Panik on the disabled list with lower back inflammation before Monday’s game, calling up rookie INF Kelby Tomlinson, who singled in his first major-league at-bat in the 12th inning and later scored.

2. Atlanta lost 1B Freddie Freeman – who missed 30 games with a right wrist sprain – after four innings Monday to a right oblique injury.

3. Braves SS Andrelton Simmons missed his second consecutive game with a right thumb injury sustained Saturday in Philadelphia.

PREDICTION: Braves 5, Giants 2