Chris Jordan
FREE PLAY
Stick with these surging Braves tonight, as they're looking to make a run toward the postseason.
If you would have asked me a month ago which of these teams would be headed to a playoff race and which one would be packing it in this month, I would have said Atlanta is done. As it turns out, the Braves are looking like they’re ready to get back to the postseason for the first time since 2005, having won eight of 11 on the road and 15 of 23 overall.
Meanwhile, the Marlins are now five games back in the wildcard race and seem befuddled every night out. Not a good thing when the Braves have won eight of their last 11 on the road. It’s also not good since Atlanta has won four straight against the Fish.
We’re better off with the A-T-L in this one, as Javier Vazquez has been pitching well enough to win over his last three starts, and pretty much all season. He has a competitive 3.92 ERA in his last three trips to the hill and a 3.02 ERA this season. On the other hand, Florida’s Rick VandenHurk is 1-2 in his last three times out and has a whopping 7.98 ERA in those games.
VandenHurk made six starts for the Marlins the past two months and gave up nine home runs over 31-2/3 innings. I don’t think he stands a chance against a motivated Braves team tonight.
2♦ BRAVES
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