Braves at Rays
Tampa Bay's James Shields will try to become the first seven-game winner in the majors when a pair of division title contenders square off in the opener of a three-game interleague series against the Atlanta Braves at Tropicana Field. The Rays need a strong performance from Shields after having a four-game winning streak snapped with a 5-3 loss to Boston on Thursday. Tampa Bay fell a game behind Baltimore in the American League East.
Atlanta jumped back in front of Washington to take a half-game lead in the National League East on Thursday, shutting out Miami 7-0 while the Nationals lost to Pittsburgh. The Braves have been road warriors, going 14-8 away from home. They won seven of nine on their last road trip.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, Peachtree/Fox Sports South (Atlanta), Sun Sports (Tampa Bay)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Tommy Hanson (4-3, 3.43 ERA) vs. Rays RH James Shields (6-1, 3.52 ERA)
Hanson has put together two solid outings since getting shelled by Philadelphia earlier this month. He struck out nine over five innings Sunday at St. Louis to earn his fourth win, allowing one run on five hits. In his only start against Tampa Bay, Hanson threw seven innings of shutout ball, allowing three hits to earn the win. He is 5-2 with a 4.78 ERA in eight interleague starts.
Shields wasn't at his sharpest Sunday at Baltimore, but he still picked up his sixth win of the season, giving up four earned runs on seven hits over 6 1/3 innings. Shields lost his only previous start against Atlanta, allowing three runs in six innings in 2010. He is 9-7 with a 4.30 ERA in 22 interleague games in his career.
WALK-OFFS:
1. The Braves have posted double-digit hits in three consecutive games and six of their last seven.
2. Shields will have the advantage of pitching at home, where he is 41-26 with a 3.37 ERA in 96 career starts. He is 2-0 with a 3.79 ERA in three home starts in 2012.
3. Braves LF Martin Prado has hit safely in nine consecutive games and has 14 multi-hit games this season, including five straight.