Braves at Diamondbacks
After being swept for the third time this season, the Atlanta Braves look to get untracked Thursday when they begin a four-game series against the host Arizona Diamondbacks. Atlanta opened its 10-game road trip with three victories in Miami before being swept in three games and outscored 23-7 by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ronald Acuna Jr. belted a two-run homer in Wednesday’s 9-4 loss to the Dodgers, who scored four runs in the final two innings against a pair of Atlanta relievers. A.J. Minter was widely expected to serve as the team’s closer in place of Arodys Vizcaino (right shoulder inflammation) after recording 15 saves last season, but the 25-year-old is 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA after allowing two runs in the seventh inning Wednesday. Arizona snapped a three-game losing streak with a 13-inning, 3-2 victory over Tampa Bay on Wednesday behind three hits from David Peralta, who is 7-for-19 with four RBIs over his last four games. Wilmer Flores delivered an RBI single in the 13th inning Wednesday and has raised his season average from .224 to .269 by going 11-for-28 over his last eight contests.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Mike Soroka (3-1, 1.14 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Luke Weaver (3-1, 3.29)
Soroka won his third straight decision with another stellar outing last Saturday, allowing three hits and two unearned runs with six strikeouts over seven innings against Miami. “He just keeps pounding the strike zone,” Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters. “He’s an impressive young man. He never gives in – he just keeps making pitches.” The 21-year-old rookie made his season debut versus Arizona on April 18, giving up one run on four hits over five frames in a 4-1 loss.
Weaver turned in his best performance of the young season last Saturday, tossing seven innings of one-run ball with eight strikeouts in a 9-2 win over Colorado. “He’s pitching to a game plan,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo told reporters. “There’s a certain comfort level that he is developing here. It’s showing up every single start. We know that there is something very special in there and we’re watching that every fifth day.” The 25-year-old native of Florida is 1-1 with a 7.45 ERA in two career starts versus Atlanta.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arizona improved to 8-5 in its last 13 games against the Braves with a three-game sweep in Atlanta on April 16-18.
2. Braves SS Dansby Swanson - who was formerly in the Diamondbacks' organization - is 12-for-40 during his career-long 11-game hitting streak.
3. Atlanta optioned LHP Grant Dayton to Triple-A Gwinnett and recalled RHP Kyle Wright from the Stripers.