GAME PREVIEW
Atlanta Braves (7-8) at Cincinnati Reds (9-6)
Pitching matchup: Javier Vazquez (1-1, 3.00 ERA) vs. Edinson Volquez (2-1, 6.46 ERA)
Time: 7:10 p.m. EDT
Location: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
TV: SportSouth Radio: 640 WGST
Weather: Partly Cloudy, 80 degrees
Twitter: Tomahawk Take
It could be worse.
That very well could be the motto for the Atlanta Braves (7-8) as they head to Cincinnati to begin a three-game series with the Reds (9-6).
After squeaking past the Washington Nationals on Wednesday night with a 1-0 victory that was basically handed to them via a ninth inning bases loaded walk which brought home the eventual game-winner, the Braves are 2-7 in their last nine games and 2-4 on the current road trip.
The hitting has been quite detrimental. For an offense that seemingly exploded during the first week of the season has become lethargic. In the previous two series, aside from the 11-1 outburst victory on Sunday against the Pirates, the offense was outscored 20-6 and the only player that consistently produced was right fielder Jeff Francoeur (.317 avg./11 RBIs).
You can attribute that record to a rash of injuries (Escobar, McCann, Chipper and Anderson) or just plain flat out terrible run support.
Either way, the offense has to produce, because the one thing that has been working for Atlanta the past three games has been the pitching — both the starters and the bullpen.
Braves relievers combined to strike out 12 and walk only four in 6 1/3 scoreless innings against the Nationals, while the starters have averaged 6 1/3 innings of work — all three being quality outings.
Trying to continue that success tonight will be Javier Vazquez (1-1, 3.00 ERA), who is coming off his first win of the season on Sunday where he tossed six scoreless innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates while striking out eight. He has been the most reliable Atlanta starter as far as innings go, lasting at least six innings in his first three starts.
Vazquez has made only one appearance at the Great American Ball Park, which came on Aug. 20 of 2005, where he allowed just one run in eight strong innings. The right-hander is a notorious fly ball pitcher, so he will need do his best to limit pitches in the upper part of the strike zone to avoid the long ball in the unfriendly pitcher’s park.
Opposite Vazquez will be the young arm of Edinson Volquez (2-1, 6.46 ERA). The righty had a stellar 2008, posting a 17-6 record with a 3.21 ERA in 196 innings of work.
Volquez made his best start of the season this past Sunday against the Houston Astros where he surrendered just one run on three hits in six innings. He did, however have five walks.
Part of the problem for Volquez so far this season has been the command of hist fastball which consistently hits the mid-to-upper 90’s. If he can find his control and match his heater with his devastating changeup, Volquez can be quiet dominant.
In his last two starts against Atlanta, Volquez is 0-1 with a 2.25 ERA. Over those 12 innings, he walked five and struck out 16.
In limited matchup’s, catcher Brian McCann has had the most success against Volquez with a .600 average (3-for-5) that includes a home run and two RBIs.
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