Philadelphia @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 9, 2015 ) Atlanta 8, Philadelphia 1

Away from the spotlight of the chase for division titles and wild-card berths, the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves open a three-game series Friday in Atlanta seeking to avoid having baseball’s worst record. The Phillies currently hold that dubious distinction with a 56-91 record, but the Braves’ second-half swoon has brought them within one game Philadelphia at 57-90.

The Braves have been baseball’s worst team since the All-Star break and fell to 15-43 in the second half with Thursday’s 5-0 loss to Toronto. Right fielder Nick Markakis ranks second in the National League in multi-hit games (50), but Atlanta has scored just 46 runs in 16 September games. The Phillies’ struggles came in the first half, going 29-62 before improving to 27-29 since the break, but Philadelphia comes in having lost 11 of 15 games in September. Outfielder Brian Bogusevic hit .333 on the Phillies’ 10-game homestand that ended Wednesday, but Philadelphia went 3-7 during that stretch – including losing two of three to Atlanta Sept. 7-9.

TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN South (Atlanta)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies LH Adam Morgan (5-6, 4.60 ERA) vs. Braves RH Williams Perez (5-6, 5.36)

Morgan, an Atlanta-area native, looks for his first victory against the Braves after losing two earlier starts to Atlanta. He allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings on July 3 in Atlanta in his second major-league start, and surrendered four runs on seven hits Aug. 2 in Philadelphia. Morgan has lost his first two starts of September, giving up 10 runs on 15 hits in 11 1/3 innings in falling to the Red Sox and Cubs.

Perez went 0-4 with a 8.44 ERA in five August starts, but the rookie has pitched better in September, going 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three outings. He beat the Phillies on Sept. 7 in Philadelphia, his first victory after six consecutive losses, allowing two runs on six hits in seven innings. Perez’s losing streak started against the Phillies on July 31, when he gave up nine runs on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings in his first start after spending a month on the disabled list with a foot injury.

WALK-OFFS

1. The two teams have split their 16 meetings this season, with the Braves outscoring Philadelphia 65-63.

2. Atlanta P Manny Banuelos had a bone spur removed from his left elbow on Tuesday and will miss the rest of the season, the team announced Thursday; the 24-year-old is expected to be ready for spring training.

3. Both teams have struggled to slow opposing offenses: Philadelphia ranks 29th out of 30 teams in team ERA (4.91), while the Braves are 27th at 4.60.

PREDICTION: Braves 5, Phillies 4