Braves at Diamondbacks
The Atlanta Braves need all they can get from Ronald Acuna Jr. and hope a return to the top of the order keeps him moving in the right direction. Acuna has homered in two of his last three games - he was robbed of one in the other - and tries to continue his power surge when Atlanta visits the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.
Acuna, who is 3-for-19 in his last five games, smashed a career-long 466-foot home run to center field in the eighth inning of Friday's 2-1 victory that snapped the Braves' season high-tying four-game losing streak. Acuna on Friday batted leadoff, where he excelled en route to winning the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year award, for the first time this season. Arizona takes an 8-8 home record into the third contest of the four-game series with David Peralta swinging a hot bat, going 11-for-28 with two home runs and six RBIs in his last six games to raise his average to .321. Arizona rookie Merrill Kelly's solid career start hit a bump in his last outing and Saturday he will oppose Kevin Gausman, who is appealing his five-game suspension for throwing at Miami's Jose Urena on May 3.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FS South (Atlanta), FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Kevin Gausman (1-3, 5.00 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Merrill Kelly (3-3, 4.85)
Gausman allowed five runs (three earned), seven hits and four walks in 4 1/3 innings of a 5-3 loss at Dodger Stadium on Monday. The 28-year-old Colorado native was ejected after 28 pitches against the Marlins on May 3 - a sign that Atlanta hasn't forgotten about Urena drilling Acuna last season. Gausman, who is 0-1 with a 4.63 ERA in two career starts versus Arizona, has allowed 30 hits (five home runs) with 40 strikeouts against 15 walks in 36 innings this season.
Kelly permitted seven runs, seven hits and three walks in four innings of Monday's 6-5 loss at Tampa Bay - the club that drafted him in 2010 (eighth round). The 30-year-old Arizona native saw his ERA rise 1.25 after his previous two starts - three runs allowed in 12 1/3 frames - resulted in victories over the New York Mets and at Pittsburgh. Kelly has been better at home as his 2.95 ERA attests and has 16 strikeouts against three walks in 18 1/3 innings compared to 15 and 14 in 20 2/3 road frames.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Diamondbacks have allowed a major league-low 12.96 percent of their 54 inherited runners to score this season.
2. Atlanta 1B Freddie Freeman (.305) is 6-for-12 with two doubles in his last three games after going 2-for-4 on Friday.
3. Arizona leads the majors with 156 extra-base hits after recording three Friday and its 359 hits are tied with Houston for the most in baseball.