Atlanta @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2012 ) Atlanta 8, Philadelphia 2

With 10 games left in the regular season, Philadelphia is running out of time to steal the second wild-card spot in the National League. Regardless of which team claims the spot, it will almost certainly travel to Atlanta for the one-game wild-card playoff. The Braves lead St. Louis by six games, and Saturday’s victory pushed Atlanta's magic number to lock up the top wild-card spot to five. The Phillies played their way back into the race with 17 victories in 22 games, but were blown out 8-2 on Saturday to fall four games behind the Cardinals.

Milwaukee and Los Angeles also stand between the Dodgers and a playoff berth. The Phillies turn to Cliff Lee for Sunday’s series finale. The left-hander will not win double-digit games for just the second time since 2003. Tim Hudson starts for Atlanta, and that usually bodes well for the Braves. Atlanta is 19-7 when Hudson starts this season.

TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, Fox Sports South (Atlanta), PHL 17 (Philadelphia)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Tim Hudson (15-6, 3.77 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cliff Lee (6-7, 3.27).

Hudson did not have his best stuff in his last start, but took advantage of plenty of offensive support to beat Miami. Hudson allowed four runs on 10 hits in five innings after Atlanta built a big lead. Hudson lost against the Phillies and Lee on Sept. 1 in Atlanta, giving up five earned runs on nine hits in five innings.

Lee has pitched very well since late July, posting a 2.13 ERA with five walks and 72 strikeouts in his past 71 2/3 innings. He struck out 10 Mets in holding New York to one run in eight innings Monday. Lee beat the Braves on Sept. 1 in Atlanta, allowing no earned runs on five hits in seven innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Philadelphia 1B Ryan Howard hit his 300th career homer Saturday. Phillies’ 2B Chase Utley is one away from 200 career homers.

2. Atlanta SS Andrelton Simmons was held out of Saturday’s game to give him one more day to rest his ailing left shoulder. Simmons, who has not played since Monday, is expected to play in Sunday’s series finale.

3. Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez announced P Kris Medlen will start Tuesday instead of Wednesday. That will allow the Braves to start the red-hot Medlen in the NL wild-card one-game playoff.