Sizzling Braves head out west to battle Dodgers

Baseball Betting Lines

06/03/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The National League East-leading Atlanta Braves bring their rags to riches story to the west coast and will begin an 11-game road trip tonight with the first of four straight meetings with the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine.

Atlanta was 6 1/2 games out of first place in the NL East standings in mid- May, but an eight-game winning streak and back-to-back sweeps of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have pushed the Braves 2 1/2 games ahead of the two-time defending National League champion Phillies for the top spot in the division.

The Braves completed their second straight sweep with a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia Wednesday afternoon at Turner Field, where Omar Infante singled home Nate McLouth for the go-ahead run in the eighth inning. Infante and Martin Prado both finished with two hits for Atlanta, which is riding its first eight-game winning streak since 2003 and hasn't posted nine straight victories since a franchise-best 15-game run from April 16-May 2, 2000.

Starter Derek Lowe posted his eighth win of the season and third straight triumph on the mound, as he was charged with just one run on six hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over eight innings.

"Today was a big game," Braves manager Bobby Cox said on the team's site. "We gained three [games] on them instead of one. We lose today, we gain one. We win today, we gain three. Today was a huge game for us to win."

Billy Wagner walked one and struck out a batter in the ninth for his ninth save of the season.

Atlanta has won 23 of its last 31 games and is a season-best nine games over the .500 mark. It has also won seven of the previous nine series. The Braves, who will also visit Arizona and Minnesota on the trip, will send Kris Medlen to the hill Thursday. Medlen is 2-1 with a 2.85 earned run average in 17 games (4 starts) this season.

Medlen won his last outing on Saturday in a 6-3 win versus Pittsburgh, as he tossed six innings of three-run ball and allowed nine hits with four K's. The right-hander will make his first career start against the Dodgers and is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA in four relief matchups in this series.

Los Angeles needed consecutive 1-0 wins in extra innings to extend its victory streak to four games, and completed a three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday.

Veteran outfielder Garret Anderson singled in Matt Kemp with two outs in the bottom of the 14th inning and Jamey Carroll finished with three hits for the Dodgers, who got their season-long 13-game homestand off to a great start.

"It was a well-timed single," Anderson said of his big hit. "I saw it hit the grass. I'm trying to contribute as much as I can. I'm trying to find my way. I tip my hat to the pitchers today."

Carlos Monasterios pitched five scoreless innings before Ramon Troncoso, Justin Miller, Jonathan Broxton, Ronald Belisario and Travis Schlichting went the rest of the way to preserve shutout. Schlichting allowed three hits over the final four frames for his first win of his career.

The Dodgers have won seven in a row and 11 of the last 13 against Arizona, and will also welcome the Cardinals and Angels to Hollywood. They'll begin tonight's series with Atlanta by sending Hiroki Kuroda to the mound for his 11st start. Kuroda has dropped two straight trips to the mound after going 3-0 with a 3.38 ERA in his previous four outings.

Kuroda was roughed up by Colorado the last time out in an 11-3 loss on Saturday at Coors Field, where he surrendered seven runs -- five earned -- and 10 hits in a season-low four innings. The right-hander, who is 5-3 with a 3.55 ERA this season, will face Atlanta for the third time in his career. He is 1-1 with a 1.20 earned run average in his first two encounters with the Braves.

Los Angeles sits just one game behind San Diego for the lead in the National League West Division. It will take on Atlanta for the first time this season and lost four of the seven meetings a year ago. The Braves have won the last three matchups between the clubs -- all at Dodger Stadium.

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El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

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