Braves-Diamondbacks preview
PHOENIX -- Arizona and Atlanta will turn to their top starters Wednesday in an attempt to get a leg up after splitting the first two games of a four-game set at Chase Field. Zack Greinke (11-4, 4.21) will oppose Julio Teheran (3-9, 2.90) in a series that so far has not had much to do with any of the starting pitchers. Atlanta overcame a 4-3 deficit against the Arizona bullpen on Matt Kemp's go-ahead, bases-loaded double in the eighth inning of a 7-4 victory Tuesday. The Diamondbacks overcame a 5-0 deficit with a four-run eighth inning in a 9-8 victory in the opener Monday. Atlanta's live young relief arms stood out Tuesday, giving manager Brian Snitker 6 1/3 scoreless innings in back of Rob Whalen, who was making his fifth major league start. Right-handers Jose Ramirez and Mauricio Cabrera struck out the side on either side of the Braves' go-ahead, three-run eighth inning fueled by Matt Kemp's two-run double. Ramirez gave up a leadoff triple in the last of the seventh inning with Arizona holding a 4-3 lead, but the runner got no further. Cabrera struck out the side around a two-out double to protect a 6-4 lead in the last of the eighth inning with third-strike fastballs that were clocked 100, 102 and 101 mph. "All of them did a great job," manager Brian Snitker said. Greinke will be making his fourth start, and his first at home, since missing six weeks with a strained left oblique muscle. He had quality starts against the Mets in his return and at San Diego last Friday but was knocked around for nine runs and 10 hits in 1 2/3 innings at Boston on Aug. 14. He had a streak of eight straight winning decisions broken in Boston. Teheran has been victimized by the worst run support in the NL among qualifiers, similar to the predicament Shelby Miller found himself in with Atlanta last season. Teheran has received an average of 2.77 runs per game this season, leading to his misleading win-loss record. Miller received 2.54 runs of support last season, the lowest figure in the league since 1974. Atlanta added some offense at the July 31 trade deadline by acquiring Matt Kemp from San Diego, and Kemp supplied the game-winning hit with his bases-loaded, two-run double in the eighth inning Tuesday, when a third run scored on the  an outfield. No matter the jersey, Kemp has no trouble hitting at Chase Field. Kemp hit two homers in an early-season here in Arizona while with San Diego, and he has 103 RBIs in 134 career games against Arizona, 51 at Chase Field. He spent all of his 10-plus years in the NL West with the Dodgers and San Diego before coming to Atlanta. "This is a nice field, nice backdrop," Kemp said. "You see the ball well. I've had some experience here." Kemp also drove in a run with a sacrifice fly Tuesday, giving him 81 for the season. He was deprived of another RBI when the official scorer ruled that the third runner scored on his bases-loaded double when the right fielder bobbled the ball at the fence. "If I end up at 99, there's going to be trouble," Kemp said in jest. |