Atlanta @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( May 29, 2011 ) Cincinnati 1, Atlanta 2
THE STORY: The Atlanta Braves look to regain their pre-All-Star Game form when they visit the Cincinnati Reds for a three-game series at the Great American Ball Park. The Braves are 4-3 since the break and needed to rally to win two of those games. Atlanta continues to lead the National League wild card race, but trails the Philadelphia Phillies by four full games in the NL East - despite having the second-best record in the league. Cincinnati is 4 ½ games out in the NL Central and is 3-3 since the break. Atlanta has won two of three games between the clubs this season.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSS, FSOH
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Jair Jurrjens (12-3, 2.26 ERA) vs. Reds RH Bronson Arroyo (7-8, 5.57 ERA)
Jurrjens is coming off his worst start of the season. He allowed six runs in five innings and received a no-decision against the NL East rival Washington Nationals. Jurrjens has been more susceptible to home runs on the road, where he's allowed four of the five he's permitted this season. He's 1-3 with a 5.14 ERA in five career starts against Cincinnati and is 0-2 at the Great American Ball Park. Jurrjens is 1-0 against the Reds this season, allowing one run in eight innings on May 29.
Arroyo has cooled off since winning four of five decisions in June, going 0-2 with an 8.50 ERA in his last three starts. Arroyo gave up four runs in 6 2/3 innings in his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals. His biggest problem is home runs - Arroyo's allowed a league-worst 26, only three fewer than he did all last season. He's 6-3 with a 5.70 ERA in 13 career starts against the Braves. Arroyo received a no-decision on May 28 when he pitched only three innings and gave up nine hits and five runs.
ABOUT THE BRAVES (58-41): Dan Uggla is day-to-day after tweaking his left calf on Wednesday night and may not play again until Sunday. Uggla has five homers while hitting safely in the last 12 games and pushed his batting average to .193, the highest it's been since May 18. Uggla’s replacement on Thursday, Brooks Conrad, continues to provide surprising spurts of power at the most opportune moment. He’s hit 14 career homers for the Braves, 12 of them coming in the seventh inning or later. In addition, seven of them have either tied the game or put his team ahead. Closer Craig Kimbrel has 30 saves, tying him for the club record for saves by a rookie set by Kerry Ligtenberg in 1998.
ABOUT THE REDS (48-50): An uncharacteristically weak offense has slowed the Reds, who scored only three runs in losing two of three to the Pirates. The poor run support has led to the inability to string together wins; it's been 27 games since the Reds won two in a row. Brandon Phillips didn't play on Wednesday and is hitless (0-for-15) since defeating the Cardinals with a walkoff homer. Drew Stubbs was 0-for-7 against the Pirates. Perhaps the return of Scott Rolen will help; he missed three games with a sore shoulder, but went 1-for-4 and hit the ball hard in his return to the lineup.
FINAL PITCH: The Braves have pushed back Chipper Jones’ rehab assignment because of soreness in his knee. Jones has arthroscopic surgery to repair a slight meniscus tear on July 9. He’s been taking batting practice and ground balls with the Triple-A Gwinnett team and was scheduled to be the designated hitter for Class-A Rome on Friday and Saturday.