Braves at Phillies
Lately it seems the Atlanta Braves have gone as their offense has gone, and they'll look to keep up their hot hitting in the rubber match of a three-game series with the host Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday. The Braves racked up season highs for hits (19) and runs (13) in Saturday's 13-4 victory and have scored in double digits in three of their past seven games. Atlanta leads second-place Washington by five games in the National League East, while the Phillies are 8 1/2 games back and hovering over the line dividing the buyers and sellers as the trade market heats up.
Philadelphia will look to rookie right-hander Jonathan Pettibone to quiet Atlanta's bats, which struck for three home runs Saturday. The Braves will try to provide more ample support for right-hander Kris Medlen as he seeks his fourth straight victory. Atlanta has won three of five meetings this season and is trying to claim its third straight series win over the Phillies dating to last season.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, Fox Sports South (Atlanta), PHL 17 (Philadelphia)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Kris Medlen (6-7, 3.11 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jonathan Pettibone (4-3, 3.99)
Medlen has won three straight starts and five of six since going nearly two months without a victory. He recorded his third straight quality start last time out, limiting Miami to three runs over six innings in an 11-3 victory. Medlen faced the Phillies in his first start of the year, allowing two runs over five innings and taking the loss April 4.
Pettibone snapped an eight-start winless streak last time out, holding Pittsburgh to one run on three hits over 5 2/3 innings for his first victory since May 14. The 22-year-old rookie has allowed three or fewer runs in 11 of his 14 starts. He has never faced Atlanta.
WALK-OFFS
1. Braves C Brian McCann is 16-for-28 during a seven-game hitting streak. McCann is a career .277 hitter against Philadelphia.
2. Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins is riding a nine-game hitting streak during which he is 13-for-38. Rollins is 4-for-10 with three doubles against Medlen.
3. Atlanta 2B Dan Uggla has homered in the first two games of the series and has 28 career home runs against Philadelphia, his most against any team. That is tied for the second-most for any active player against the Phillies behind Carlos Beltran (30).