Atlanta @ Pittsburgh Game Overview

Veteran left-hander Chris Sale (1-3, 4.07 ERA) started that positive stretch on April 30 with a solid outing in Colorado, and he will look to keep it going on Sunday afternoon when he opposes the host Pittsburgh Pirates' starter Carmen Mlodzinski (1-3, 6.16) in the rubber match of a three-game series.

Sale has struck out 10 in each of his past two starts and has allowed only two runs in 13 2/3 innings over that span. Sale tossed 6 2/3 shutout innings in his most recent outing on Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds, allowing five hits and two walks.

With the exception of a 10-3 loss to the L.A. Dodgers on May 3, the Braves have not allowed more than four runs in a game over their past 10 games.

But Atlanta has split those 10 games thanks largely to lack of run support for their hurlers. It nearly cost the Braves again on Saturday as Atlanta squeaked past the Pirates 3-2 in 11 innings.

Still, Atlanta's rotation is pitching as well as it has all season and should be bolstered once Spencer Strider returns from injury.

Sale has compiled a 1.96 ERA over his past four starts (23 innings) and the Braves have won three of those games. Sale is 1-0 with a 0.64 ERA in two career starts against the Pirates, and won his lone career start in Pittsburgh, allowing one run on four hits and one walk while striking out eight over seven innings on May 26, 2024.

"Over the last couple of starts, we've looked at video, done some analytic things, and even just looking at the numbers that are presented after outings and things like that, and just making these minor tweaks to try to get back to being successful," Sale said recently.

Mlodzinski, who went from reliever to starter this season for the Pirates out of necessity, has only pitched five innings twice in seven starts.

In his most recent outing on Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals, Mlodzinski gave up two runs on four hits, including two home runs, but did not issue a walk while striking out two. Due to his struggles facing lineups for a third time this season, Mlodzinski was pulled after facing the Cardinals' lineup twice. But the Pirates' bullpen was unable to hold a 3-2 lead and gave up four runs, leading to a 6-3 defeat.

The Pirates could be without starting center fielder Oneil Cruz, who left Saturday's game after the 10th inning with lower back tightness. Cruz is considered day-to-day.

"When he was going to second and slowed up, it kind of tightened up on him," manager Don Kelly said. "We'll see how it goes for him day-to-day."

Kelly was thrown out in the sixth inning of his second career game as a manager on Saturday, leaving third base coach Mike Rabelo to manage the rest of the contest and work double duty in his regular role.

Kelly said he hopes to fill the bench coach role in the coming days with either an internal or external candidate. Kelly has had hitting coach Matt Hague and pitching coaches Oscar Marin and Brent Strom to fill the duties the bench coach normally would.

--Field Level Media