Reds @ Braves Preview

Both the Cincinnati Reds and the Atlanta Braves will be looking to take a 2-1 lead in their four-game series with each other.  The Braves will be looking to avenge a 2-4 loss to the Reds in their last game.  The NL East division leaders, Braves, will also be looking to put some more distance between themselves and the Washington Nationals, who are five games behind the Reds, before the All-Star Break.

Do not let the Reds third place in the NL Central division fool you.  The Reds may be five games be five games behind the division leaders the St. Louis Cardinals and four game behind the Pittsburgh Pirates, but they have a .559 winning percentage and are still hanging in one of the most highly contested divisions in the MLB.  However, the Reds have struggled on the road as of late.  Their last win against the Braves was only their fourth win in the last 13 away games.  They also have a losing record on the road overall at 22-25.

The Reds will be starting Homer Baily, who has shared his team’s road woes.   In his last two starts away from Cincinnati, Baily gave up four runs in six innings or less.  He is 2-6 with a 4.61 ERA in eight road starts this year.   In his last start Baily gave up 10 hits and three walks in six innings.  It hasn’t been all doom and gloom for Baily, though.  He did have a no-hitter two games ago, momentum he will need to recapture when he takes the mound against the Braves today.

The Braves will start Mike Minor, who has been having the opposite problem of Baily.  Minor has had nine starts in Atlanta this season and is 2-3 with a 3.61 ERA.  In his last three home starts he has allowed four earned runs and has lost two of those three games.

The Braves are the slight favorites to win this game with a -120 moneyline at Bovada..  The Reds moneyline is at +110.  The game starts at 4:05 p.m. ET.