Sunday, July 29th (All times eastern)
Atlanta Braves (54-51) at Arizona Diamondbacks (58-48), 4:40 p.m.
Probable Starting Pitchers: Atlanta - Tim Hudson (10-5, 3.24) Arizona - Livan Hernandez (6-6, 4.59)
The Arizona Diamondbacks try and win their ninth straight game this afternoon when they attempt to complete their first-ever three-game sweep at home of the Atlanta Braves at Chase Field.
The D-Backs posted their third straight walk-off win on Saturday, as Conor Jackson’s RBI single in the 10th inning gave Arizona a 4-3 victory. A win today would give Arizona its first nine-game winning streak since a franchise- record 12-game run June 18-30, 2003.
Chris Young worked a leadoff walk in the 10th, and moved up on Orlando Hudson’s sacrifice bunt. Eric Byrnes was then intentionally walked before the Braves brought on reliever Chad Paronto to face Jackson. Paronto, on his 32nd birthday, gave up a single to center on his first pitch, and Young came around to win the game for the D-Backs.
The game-winning hit capped a three-hit, two-RBI game for Jackson, as the Diamondbacks moved into a virtual tie for first place in the NL West with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Starter Doug Davis held the Braves to five hits and three runs through seven innings, striking out six and walking three, and reliever Juan Cruz (5-1) tossed a scoreless inning of relief.
John Smoltz held Arizona to seven hits and three runs through seven innings. Tyler Yates (2-3) was responsible for the winning run, and Matt Diaz had a two-run double for the Braves, who have dropped four straight.
Hoping to keep Arizona rolling today will be veteran right-hander Livan Hernandez, who is 6-6 with a 4.59 ERA. Hernandez picked up his first win in 10 starts on Tuesday against Florida, as he allowed a run on seven hits in seven innings.
Hernandez has been atrocious in his career against the Braves, going just 3-14 with a 5.09 ERA in 23 games, 22 of which have been starts.
Atlanta will counter with righty Tim Hudson, who is unbeaten in his last six outings. Hudson, who is 10-5 with a 3.24 ERA, received a no-decision on Tuesday against San Francisco, allowing three runs and six hits in 8 2/3 innings of his team’s 7-5 win.
Hudson has faced the Diamondbacks five times and is a perfect 3-0 against them with a sparkling 1.91 ERA.
The Diamondbacks dominated the season series last year, winning six of seven over Atlanta. However, the Braves’ lone win came in Arizona.
Although the Diamondbacks have never swept the Braves in Arizona, they did pull off a four-game sweep in the teams’ last meeting in Atlanta, from June 1-4, 2006.
