Atlanta Braves (59-44) at Cincinnati Reds (58-47)

MLB Baseball: Sunday August 1, 2010 1:10 PM EST

SP: ATL: Tommy Hanson (8-7, 3.99) CIN: Edison Volquez (1-1, 8.25)

Odds and Statistical Matchup

Get Tickets

After the Reds won yesterday, the series between them and the Braves will be decided today in Cincinnati.  Edison Volquez will start for Cincinnati while Atlanta will go with Tommy Hanson

The Reds used a big seventh inning to come from behind yesterday against the Braves to even the series.  Edison Volquez will try to forget his last two outings and end his struggles today.  He allowed a combined 10 runs in six innings against the Brewers and Nationals in his last two starts.  Offensively Cincinnati is led by Joey Votto who is hitting .325 with 27 homers and 72 rbi.  All Star, Scott Rolen, is hitting .303 with 18 homers and 62 rbi.  Jonny Gomes has hit 13 homers and has knocked in 65.  With a series coming up against the Pirates the Reds will have a good chance to take the division lead if they can take today’s game from Atlanta.

Atlanta suffered a tough loss yesterday after going up 2-0 and losing that lead in the seventh inning as Jair Jurrjens struggled late in the game.  Tommy Hanson will get the start this afternoon as the Braves look for the series win on the road.  The Braves have lost each of Hanson’s last three starts.  Hanson had a start that he’d like to forget against the Reds earlier in the year in which he allowed eight runs in 1.2 innings.  The Braves got some help yesterday on the same day they found out Martin Prado would miss atleast a week when they acquired Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth from the Royals.  Troy Glaus is tied for the team lead with 14 homers and also has a team high 61 rbi despite struggling as of late.  Brian McCann also had 14 homers and has 53 rbi.  Rookie, Jason Heyward, has 11 homers and 50 rbi.  Atlanta is 25-31 on the road this year.

Edison Volquez looks like he will be a complete question mark until he gets a few more starts under his belt.  He was solid his first start, but his next two were terrible.  Tommy Hanson has had a sort of bi-polar season himself and he is hard to predict.  If his stuff is there he is very tough to hit, but when he gets wild and loses it mentally he can get crushed.  What it comes down to for me is the fact that Hanson has pitched all year and Volquez hasn’t.  Volquez is still searching for his identity and against a solid Braves team it may hurt him today.

Jeremy’s Pick: Atlanta Braves

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment