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The NL East leading Atlanta Braves tonight host the NL Central leading Houston Astros in the second of a three-game set.
Atlanta are 10-2 in recent meetings and we will ride them once again tonight.
The Braves own the best record in baseball at 70-36 (.660) which is good for a whopping 11 1/2 game lead over the Phillies in the NL East. They came off a four-game split at Montreal in which they scored at least eight runs in every game and despite traveling overnight Monday scored another six runs last night. Amazingly they have had 84 hits in just their last five games and are averaging 7.6 runs through their last 21 games. Those numbers augur well for tonight's match-up against an Astros team that has scored three runs or fewer in every one of their last nine games.
The Braves are 13-5 this season when left-hander Horacio Ramirez starts and his 8-3 record ranks third in NL winning percentage. The rookie had a couple of disappointing starts prior to his last outing when in a series that was completely dominated by the hitters he held the Expos to three earned runs on just five hits in 7 1/3 innings. While he didn't figure in the decision he showed a return to the kind of stuff that had seen him win seven straight decisions earlier in the season. Tonight will be the first time he has faced the Astros.
Houston are 57-49 (.538) which puts them two games ahead of the Cardinals in the NL Central.
33 year-old southpaw Ron Villone heads to the mound for the Astros. His teams are just 2-8 in his ten starts including the Astros 2-5 mark this season. While he has solid numbers thus far in 2003 (2-1, 2.30 ERA) it's fair to say he is a mediocre pitcher at best...his career record is 35-38 with an ERA approaching five....and mediocre won't get it done against a team hitting as well as these Braves. Villone is 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in two career starts against Atlanta.
The Braves are 18-6 this season against the NL Central while the Astros are just 7-12 against the NL East. Combine all of the above with Atlanta's .711 home winning percentage versus the Astros .453 road record AND the Braves 19-6 mark against lefties this season and it will come as no surprise to regular readers that we recommend them once again tonight.
Recommended Play: Braves -135
Atlanta are 10-2 in recent meetings and we will ride them once again tonight.
The Braves own the best record in baseball at 70-36 (.660) which is good for a whopping 11 1/2 game lead over the Phillies in the NL East. They came off a four-game split at Montreal in which they scored at least eight runs in every game and despite traveling overnight Monday scored another six runs last night. Amazingly they have had 84 hits in just their last five games and are averaging 7.6 runs through their last 21 games. Those numbers augur well for tonight's match-up against an Astros team that has scored three runs or fewer in every one of their last nine games.
The Braves are 13-5 this season when left-hander Horacio Ramirez starts and his 8-3 record ranks third in NL winning percentage. The rookie had a couple of disappointing starts prior to his last outing when in a series that was completely dominated by the hitters he held the Expos to three earned runs on just five hits in 7 1/3 innings. While he didn't figure in the decision he showed a return to the kind of stuff that had seen him win seven straight decisions earlier in the season. Tonight will be the first time he has faced the Astros.
Houston are 57-49 (.538) which puts them two games ahead of the Cardinals in the NL Central.
33 year-old southpaw Ron Villone heads to the mound for the Astros. His teams are just 2-8 in his ten starts including the Astros 2-5 mark this season. While he has solid numbers thus far in 2003 (2-1, 2.30 ERA) it's fair to say he is a mediocre pitcher at best...his career record is 35-38 with an ERA approaching five....and mediocre won't get it done against a team hitting as well as these Braves. Villone is 1-1 with a 5.14 ERA in two career starts against Atlanta.
The Braves are 18-6 this season against the NL Central while the Astros are just 7-12 against the NL East. Combine all of the above with Atlanta's .711 home winning percentage versus the Astros .453 road record AND the Braves 19-6 mark against lefties this season and it will come as no surprise to regular readers that we recommend them once again tonight.
Recommended Play: Braves -135