The sizzling Braves couldn't have been too happy to leave Colorado, where they scored 29 runs in a three-game sweep of the Rockies, but the confines of Wrigley Field have been plenty friendly to Atlanta in recent years, too. The Braves have won seven of 10 at Wrigley over the past three seasons, a trend they'll try to continue with a three-game set against the last-place Cubs.
Chicago began its six-game homestand by taking two of the three from the Dodgers, including a rally for a 4-3 win in 11 innings Sunday. First baseman Freddie Freeman led Atlanta's offensive surge at Coors Field, going 6-for-14 with four extra-base hits in the series. He hit a three-run home run Sunday and added his first major-league triple. Freeman is slugging .632 on the road and .413 at home.
TV: 8:05 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta), WCIU (Chicago)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Tommy Hanson (3-2, 3.74 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Jeff Samardzija (3-1, 3.41 ERA)
Hanson had hist worst outing of the season Wednesday against the Phillies, as he lasted only 3 2/3 innings and allowed four runs on eight hits. The rocky game came on the heels of back-to-back quality starts, so he will look to regain that form and earn his first win against the Cubs. He's 0-2 with a 5.23 ERA in two starts against Chicago.
Samardzija has been a revelation for the Cubs since claiming a spot in the rotation during spring training. He turned in another strong outing Wednesday against the Reds, allowing one runs on three hits over 7 2/3 innings for his third win. The righty has been especially good at Wrigley Field, where he has yielded only one earned run over 15 1/3 innings in two starts.
WALK-OFFS:
1. The series is likely to be Chipper Jones' last at Wrigley Field. The Braves don't make another trip to Chicago this season, and Jones has announced he will retire at season's end.
2. Both teams have been hurt by the flu. Braves OF Martin Prado missed two straight starts before returning Sunday, and the Cubs scratched 3B Ian Stewart and had to call up Travis Wood to make a spot start when Matt Garza came down with the bug Sunday.
3. Cubs 1B Bryan LaHair has reached base in 24 consecutive games, the longest streak by a Cubs first baseman since Derrek Lee did so in 30 straight in 2009.