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Giants & Braves Continue Series At Turner Field
A key clash of National League playoff hopefuls is part of Wednesday's MLB betting card as the Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants play the middle contest of their 3-game set.
First pitch at Turner Field will be delivered by Braves southpaw Mike Minor at 7:10 p.m. (ET). The Giants' Ryan Vogelsong opposes Minor, and the Braves opened at -115 to -120 with an 8½-run total that was priced to the 'over.'
Both clubs are right in the thick of the NL race entering the series that got underway Tuesday with the Braves $1.45 favorites and also listed an 8½-run total. San Francisco bolted into the NL West lead this past weekend by sweeping the Houston Astros, and entered the series with a 2-game edge over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Braves sported the majors' longest current win streak, seven and counting before the first game of this series, and were 2.5-games behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East while holding the lead in the wild card standings.
Offense is where the biggest disparity between the two clubs resides. Atlanta is third in the NL scoring 4.68 runs per game while the Giants rank 11th roughly three-quarters of a run lower (3.92 rpg). San Francisco pitchers help make up for some of that with a 3.53 staff ERA that is fourth in the Senior Circuit. Braves hurlers come in with a 3.93 ERA, a tick better than the league average.
Vogelsong (7-4, 2.36) has certainly done his part for the Giants, and remains under the radar despite a solid 2011 campaign and ranking second on the NL ERA charts this season. San Francisco is 11-5 in his 16 outings (+6.8 units) and the right-hander has strung together 13 consecutive quality starts that have resulted in 10 Giant victories.
Wednesday will mark his first career assignment vs. Atlanta, with his only appearance to date against the Braves a long relief outing in April 2011.
Minor (5-6, 5.97) has teetered on the edge of losing his job in the Braves rotation most of the season, but does bring a 2-start winning streak into Wednesday's contest. The young southpaw pitched well against the Cubs in his most recent trip to the mound (July 5), allowing just two earned runs in 6-1/3 innings while striking out six. That was one of only five quality starts Minor has made in 16 tries.
His lone collision with the Giants came about 11 months ago, and Minor was outstanding with six shutout frames in Atlanta's 1-0 home win as small 'dogs against Tim Lincecum.
Turner Field has been the epitome of a hostile environment for the Giants since it opened in 1997. The Braves owned a lopsided 39-19 advantage against San Fran on this diamond before Tuesday's affair, and had won nine of the last 12 played in Atlanta.
Neither team is reporting any new injuries since the all-star break. The Giants missed all-star outfielder Melky Cabrera for last Sunday's finale vs. the Astros after he flew to Florida to be with his wife who was expecting the couple's third child. San Francisco will reportedly not place Cabrera on paternity leave, and he should be in the lineup Wednesday.
A key clash of National League playoff hopefuls is part of Wednesday's MLB betting card as the Atlanta Braves and San Francisco Giants play the middle contest of their 3-game set.
First pitch at Turner Field will be delivered by Braves southpaw Mike Minor at 7:10 p.m. (ET). The Giants' Ryan Vogelsong opposes Minor, and the Braves opened at -115 to -120 with an 8½-run total that was priced to the 'over.'
Both clubs are right in the thick of the NL race entering the series that got underway Tuesday with the Braves $1.45 favorites and also listed an 8½-run total. San Francisco bolted into the NL West lead this past weekend by sweeping the Houston Astros, and entered the series with a 2-game edge over the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Braves sported the majors' longest current win streak, seven and counting before the first game of this series, and were 2.5-games behind the Washington Nationals in the NL East while holding the lead in the wild card standings.
Offense is where the biggest disparity between the two clubs resides. Atlanta is third in the NL scoring 4.68 runs per game while the Giants rank 11th roughly three-quarters of a run lower (3.92 rpg). San Francisco pitchers help make up for some of that with a 3.53 staff ERA that is fourth in the Senior Circuit. Braves hurlers come in with a 3.93 ERA, a tick better than the league average.
Vogelsong (7-4, 2.36) has certainly done his part for the Giants, and remains under the radar despite a solid 2011 campaign and ranking second on the NL ERA charts this season. San Francisco is 11-5 in his 16 outings (+6.8 units) and the right-hander has strung together 13 consecutive quality starts that have resulted in 10 Giant victories.
Wednesday will mark his first career assignment vs. Atlanta, with his only appearance to date against the Braves a long relief outing in April 2011.
Minor (5-6, 5.97) has teetered on the edge of losing his job in the Braves rotation most of the season, but does bring a 2-start winning streak into Wednesday's contest. The young southpaw pitched well against the Cubs in his most recent trip to the mound (July 5), allowing just two earned runs in 6-1/3 innings while striking out six. That was one of only five quality starts Minor has made in 16 tries.
His lone collision with the Giants came about 11 months ago, and Minor was outstanding with six shutout frames in Atlanta's 1-0 home win as small 'dogs against Tim Lincecum.
Turner Field has been the epitome of a hostile environment for the Giants since it opened in 1997. The Braves owned a lopsided 39-19 advantage against San Fran on this diamond before Tuesday's affair, and had won nine of the last 12 played in Atlanta.
Neither team is reporting any new injuries since the all-star break. The Giants missed all-star outfielder Melky Cabrera for last Sunday's finale vs. the Astros after he flew to Florida to be with his wife who was expecting the couple's third child. San Francisco will reportedly not place Cabrera on paternity leave, and he should be in the lineup Wednesday.
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