Padres at Braves
The Atlanta Braves have dominated the San Diego Padres at home in recent years, and the National League East leaders hope to continue that trend entering the second contest of a four-game series Friday. The Braves defeated the Padres 4-2 in Thursday’s series opener, the 13th time in the past 15 meetings Atlanta has beaten San Diego at home, keeping the Padres offense in check while winning for the fourth time in five games.
San Diego came into the series playing its best baseball of the season, winning 11 of its previous 15 games and capturing five consecutive series, but fell to 5-18 in series openers as its offense was shut down after averaging 4.6 runs and 8.3 hits in its previous 15 contests. Second baseman Jose Pirela finished 2-for-4 and is hitting .317 in road games this season. Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman, who has homered five times in his past eight games, extended his hitting streak to eight games with a double in the eighth and is hitting .342 entering Friday’s contest. Center fielder Ender Inciarte finished with two hits – including his fifth homer – and two runs scored, and is hitting .429 in his past four games as the Braves moved 12 games above .500 for the first time since 2013.
TV: 7:35 p.m. ET, FS San Diego, FS South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres LH Clayton Richard (5-6, 4.40 ERA) vs. Braves RH Brandon McCarthy (5-3, 5.03)
Richard has turned around his season after posting a 6.21 ERA through seven starts, going 4-2 with a 3.04 ERA with a .194 opponents batting average in his past seven outings. The 34-year-old has pitched seven or more innings six times in that span, including a seven-inning performance in which he gave up three runs on six hits June 4 in a victory over the Braves. Richard followed up with seven innings of one-run, two-hit pitching Sunday in beating Miami.
McCarthy hopes to bounce back from a subpar showing Friday in Los Angeles, in which he gave up four runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings in a loss to the Dodgers. It continued a trend of rough outings lately for the 34-year-old, who has surrendered four runs or more four times in his past seven outings – posting a 6.75 ERA with eight homers allowed in 36 innings in that span. Friday’s opponent may help, as McCarthy is 8-1 with a 3.73 ERA in 11 career games (10 starts) against the Padres.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta starting pitchers have not allowed an earned run at home in its past 29 1/3 innings.
2. San Diego’s impressive streak of consecutive innings without issuing a walk ended at 32 2/3 innings Thursday.
3. Atlanta RHP Julio Teheran (right thumb contusion) reported no problems after a Thursday bullpen session, and appears ready to return from the disabled list to start Sunday’s series finale.