Atlanta @ Milwaukee preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2012 ) Atlanta 1, Milwaukee 4

Winning 16 of its past 21 has breathed life into Milwaukee’s once-deflated playoff hopes. The Brewers finished Monday’s series opener against Atlanta with only four hits, but took advantage of a key error and four walks in the seventh inning to rally for a 4-1 victory. Milwaukee has closed to within five games of St. Louis for the final National League wild card spot. Atlanta leads the NL wild card race by a comfortable 6 1/2 games over the third-place Los Angeles Dodgers and has calmed thoughts of a second consecutive September swoon by winning seven of its past nine games. The Braves send Tim Hudson to the mound for Tuesday’s middle game of the series. Hudson beat the Rockies in his last start and has lost only once in 11 starts since the All-Star break. The Brewers counter with Marco Estrada, and hope to get Corey Hart back in the lineup. Hart missed Monday’s series opener with a foot injury suffered Sunday against St. Louis.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta), FS Wisconsin (Milwaukee)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Atlanta RH Tim Hudson (14-5, 3.59 ERA) vs. Milwaukee RH Marco Estrada (2-6, 3.99)

Hudson benefited from Atlanta scoring an unearned run in his last start Thursday, pitching seven shutout innings in a 1-0 victory over Colorado. The right-hander, who missed the first three weeks recovering from off-season back surgery, is 7-1 in his past 12 starts. Atlanta is 18-6 in games started by Hudson in 2012.

Estrada surrendered four earned runs in five innings on Thursday at Miami, losing for the first time since Aug. 5. The right-hander had allowed only three earned runs in his previous three starts (18 innings). Estrada posted his third double-digit strikeout game of the season Sept. 1, fanning 10 Pirates in seven innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta SS Andrelton Simmons started Monday, his first major-league action since the NL Rookie of the Month for June broke his right pinkie finger July 8.

2. Milwaukee's John Axford, who lost his closer's job in midseason, has been stellar the past two weeks back in that role. The right-hander has a win and eight saves in his past nine appearances since Aug. 28, allowing no runs and one hit in 8 1/3 innings.

3. The Braves are 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position in their past two games. Atlanta outhit Milwaukee on Monday 10-4. All 10 Atlanta hits were singles.