Colorado @ Atlanta preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 25, 2010 ) Atlanta 10, Colorado 12

THE STORY: Atlanta looks to continue its stellar play at home, opening a four-game series against Colorado at Turner Field. The Braves are 5-1 on their current homestand and have won eight of their last 10. The Rockies are 4-6 over their last 10, but just took two of three from Kansas City. Both teams are heavy on power: The Rockies have hit 89 homers, the Braves have 87. This is their first meeting of the season. Colorado is 7-5 against the NL East and Atlanta is 8-10 against the NL West.

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, ROOT, FSS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Ubaldo Jimenez (3-7, 4.35 ERA) vs. Braves RH Tommy Hanson (9-4, 2.62 ERA).

Jimenez has started to regain his form since June 1. Over his last six starts he’s not allowed more than two earned runs and has not pitched fewer than five innings. During that span he has a 2.45 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 40 1/3 innings. Jimenez is 2-3 with a 3.79 ERA against Atlanta in six career starts, but that includes a no-hitter against the Braves in 2010.

Hanson weathered two control-plagued innings in his first start since returning from the DL, but survived and won his fourth consecutive decision, throwing six innings and allowing three runs against the Seattle Mariners. Hanson is 4-2 with a 2.40 ERA at Turner Field. Hanson buckles down with runners in scoring position, with the opposition batting just .118 in that situation. Hanson has made only one career start against the Rockies, pitching five innings and allowing four runs in 2009, his rookie season.

ABOUT THE BRAVES (49-36): Nate McLouth is only hitting .232, but he’s reached base 14 times in his last 31 plate appearances. Right-handed hitting Dan Uggla is 10-for-88 against left-handed pitchers. Reliever Scott Proctor continues to struggle. Over the last five games he’s 0-2 and has allowed four runs in 3 1/3 innings. He gave up the game-winning home run to Baltimore Orioles slugger Mark Reynolds just minutes after Chipper Jones called timeout to speak to Proctor. After Reynolds hit a long home run, Jones took off his glove, put his hands on his hips and lowered his head.

ABOUT THE ROCKIES (41-43): Todd Helton is sixth in the NL with a .320 average and has nine homers and 38 RBIs. He’s 11-for-24 (.458) with six RBIs over the last seven days, although his modest five-game hitting streak ended Sunday. Helton has a .337 average and eight home runs in his career against the Braves. Seth Smith is batting .301, but has seen his average dip over the last week. He’s only 6-for-27 (.222) over the last seven games. Troy Tulowitzki is 5-for-16 with three home runs and seven RBI in his last four games. Carlos Gonzalez is listed as day-to-day after smashing his right wrist against the wall and suffering a contusion while making a running catch against Kansas City on Sunday. He had to be carted off the field. Gonzalez had a homer and six RBIs before he was injured.

FINAL PITCH: The Rockies purchased the contract of left-hander Eric Stults and optioned Greg Reynolds to Triple-A Colorado Springs. Stults was 4-4 with a 5.21 ERA in 37 games with Colorado Springs. Reynolds had been recalled to start Saturday’s game and got the victory.