Pitching Probables:
Paul Maholm (ATL) 3-3, 3.08 ERA
Bronson Arroyo (CIN) 2-3, 3.95 ERA
Tonight's Lineups (7:10 pm ET SportSouth/ESPN)
Braves (career vs. Arroyo):
BJ Upton - CF (0-4, 2 K)
Chris Johnson - 3B (4-10, 3 2B, BB)
Justin Upton - RF (6-26, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 9 K)
Freddie Freeman - 1B (3-7, 2B, HR, RBI, BB)
Evan Gattis - LF (N/A)
Brian McCann - C (9-18, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 5 BB, K)
Dan Uggla - 2B (6-18, 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K)
Andrelton Simmons - SS (N/A)
Paul Maholm - P (0-5, 3 K)
Reds (career vs. Maholm):
Shin-Soo Choo - CF (1-5, RBI, 2 BB)
Zack Cozart - SS (1-3, 2B, K)
Joey Votto - 1B (3-22, 2B, 3 BB, 6 K)
Brandon Phillips - 2B (18-51, 3 2B, 4 HR, 10 RBI, BB, 5 K)
Jay Bruce - RF (2-15, 2 HR, 4 RBI)
Todd Frazier - 3B (N/A)
Devin Mesoraco - C (2-3, BB)
Derrick Robinson - LF (N/A)
Bronson Arroyo - P (1-4, 2B, RBI, 3 K)
Preview:
Two of the elite teams in the NL, Braves and Reds, get together for a three-game series beginning tonight at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. Reds manager Dusty Baker is on the cusp of a managerial milestone, one more win gets him his 1,600th career win, passing legendary Dodgers manager, Tommy Lasorda for 18th on the all-time list.
Reds come into their six-game home stand with a 12-4 record at GABP and have yet to lose a home series. Braves look to change that as Paul Maholm will get the ball in the first of the three game series. Maholm (3-3, 3.08 ERA) got the short end of the stick in last Wednesday's 2-0 loss to the Nationals. Maholm pitched eight fantastic innings, but made only one mistake, which was the Ian Desmond home run in the 4th inning, that cost him the game. Braves offense hopes to back Maholm with some run support tonight in the launch pad that is the Great American Ball Park.
Opposing Maholm will be veteran pitcher, Bronson Arroyo. Like Maholm, Arroyo (2-3, 3.95 ERA) was the victim of bad fortune in his last start against the Cardinals. He pitched seven strong innings while allowing two runs on six hits, as he was outdueled by Jaime Garcia in the 2-1 loss. Arroyo has been effective lately, holding the opposition to two earned runs in three of his past four starts.
McCann activated from DL, will start at C and hit 6th:
Six-time All-Star Brian McCann has been activated from the disabled list and is expected to start tonight and hit 6th in the lineup. McCann, who is in the final year of his contract, underwent shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder this past offseason. McCann played most of last season with the injury and hit .230 with 20 HR and 67 RBI and a career-low .698 OPS in 121 games. B-Mac proved his readiness in a seven-game Minor League rehab assignment split between Single-A Rome and Triple-A Gwinnett. In those seven games, McCann went 8-for-23 (.348) with 4 HR and 9 RBI. The biggest question about McCann is the strength of his arm.
In his absence, Evan Gattis and Gerald Laird produced strongly, hitting a combined .287 with 6 HR and 21 RBI.
Side note:
Braves lost five of six games to the Reds in 2012, including being swept in a four-game series in Cincinnati. Reds have also beaten the Braves six consecutive times in Cincy, dating back to 2011.
Brandon Phillips has had a great amount of success against Maholm in his career, going 18-for-51(.353) with 4 HR and 10 RBI. Joey Votto and Jay Bruce have struggled for a combined 5-for-37 (.135) with 2 HR and 4 RBI against Maholm.
In 20 career starts against the Reds, Maholm is 7-4 with an ERA of 3.70.
Bronson Arroyo has struggled in 16 career appearances (15 starts) against the Braves with an ERA of 5.34. But he has always been given run support and sports a 6-3 record in his career against Atlanta.
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