Brewers at Braves
After opening the season with four consecutive losses, Atlanta appears to have straightened things out. The Braves are riding a three-game winning streak, including Friday’s wild 10-8 victory over Milwaukee in their home opener. Offense took center stage in the series opener as the two teams combined for 27 hits. The Brewers have scored seven runs or more in three of their past five games.
The Braves struggled through the first week of the season offensively, but sparked by Brian McCann’s 4-for-5 performance banged out 14 hits off five Milwaukee pitchers. Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun went 3-for-5 as the National League MVP raised his average to .357. Teammate Corey Hart continues to show no problems from knee surgery last month, driving in three runs and raising his average to .364.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS North-Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Peachtree TV, SportSouth (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Milwaukee RH Shaun Marcum (1-0, ERA 4.50) vs. Atlanta LH Mike Minor (0-1, ERA 10.80).
In his season debut Monday at Chicago, Marcum gave up two home runs but otherwise scattered five hits, striking out six in six strong innings. Marcum has allowed a home run in his last eight games dating back to last season, including first-inning homers in his past three starts.
Minor pitched well in spring training, but the left-hander gave up six earned runs and walked four in five innings Sunday in New York. The Braves’ top pick of the 2009 draft, Minor went 4-1 with a 3.83 ERA in nine second-half starts last season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta third baseman Chipper Jones was scratched from Friday’s lineup with swelling in his left knee. Jones, who had surgery on the knee last month, likely won’t play until Sunday at the earliest.
2. Milwaukee shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who played alongside Jones on the left side of Atlanta’s infield the past two seasons, will miss the rest of the series because of the birth of his third child. The Brewers were expected to call up Eric Farris from Triple-A Nashville.
3. McCann was a triple short of a cycle Friday and the slow-footed catcher stole a base.