Atlanta Braves (40-49) +110, o/u 7 ½ at San Diego Padres (48-40), 7 p.m. Pacific
by Ultimatecapper.com Staff
The Atlanta Braves begin their longshot second-half attempt to keep alive that streak of 14 straight division titles when they visit the San Diego Padres for a three-game series beginning Friday night at Petco Park.
Atlanta has shown a little life recently, winning seven of its’ last 10 games. But the Braves are in 3rd place in the NL East, a distant 13 games behind the division-leading New York Mets.
San Diego, winners of five games in a row, sits atop the NL West, 2 ½ games clear of the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers.
Atlanta is 19-26 on the road this season, while the Padres are just 23-24 at home.
The Braves have taken four of six games from San Diego this season. But the Padres won the season series with Atlanta last year five games to one.
Braves’ Friday starter Tim Hudson (6-8, 4.56) is going through what is probably his worst season as a ML’er. Hudson has allowed 14 ER and 33 H+W in his last 15 2/3 IP. Yet Atlanta is 11-8 in Hudson’s starts this year, the over/under 9-9.
Hudson made one start vs. SD last year, giving up 4 ER on 11 H+W in 6 2/3 innings.
Chris Young (8-4, 3.12) goes to the mound Friday for the Padres. Young has allowed 6 ER and 20 H+W in his last 18 2/3 IP. San Diego is 11-7 in Young’s starts this season, the o/u 9-9.
Young has made two starts vs. the Braves this year and last (one as a member of the Texas Rangers), giving up 6 ER and 12 H+W in 10 IP.
On Saturday, John Smoltz (6-5, 3.60) goes forAtlanta against Jake Peavy (4-8, 4.46) for San Diego. And on Sunday,Horacio Ramirez (4-3, 4.65) will start for the Braves vs. ChanHo Park (6-4, 4.29) for the Padres.
Atlanta owns a .335 team OBP this year, 6th-best in the NL, and is averaging 4.9 runs per game.
San Diego owns a .328 team OBP, 2nd-worst in the league, and is averaging 4.5 RPG.
The Braves bullpen ranks 21st in the majors with a 4.65 ERA.
The Padres not only own the best bullpen in the majors (3.28 ERA), but their pitching staff leads MLB with a 3.91 ERA, and San Diego has committed the fewer errors, 42, than any other team in the NL.
The o/u is 48-38 in Braves games this year, 41-42 in Padres games, and 23-20 at Petco Park.
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The Ultimatecapper Pick: We like the Padres here. Hudson has been nothing better than mediocre this year. It'll take more than that to get it done vs. Chris Young who is enjoying the most success he's ever had as a major leaguer.
