MLB Game Preview

Atlanta at Los Angeles
Monday, July 2nd, 10:35 EST
John Smoltz (R) vs. Derek Lowe (R)
(matchup)

Once rivals in the N.L. West the Atlanta Braves and Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves battling in the wildcard race as the 2007 season nears its halfway point. The teams play the first of a four-game set Monday night at Dodger Stadium.

Veteran big-name right-handers will be on the mound as John Smoltz of the Braves goes against Derek Lowe of the Dodgers. Smoltz is 9-4 on the year in 16 starts with a 2.98 ERA. He has fanned 90 men while walking just 21 and is 4-1 on the road in eight starts with a 3.78 ERA.

Derek Lowe has had some hard luck and shows an 8-7 mark in 17 starts with a 3.03 ERA. He has made just six starts at home, going 3-2 with a 2.34 ERA. He has struck out 81 while walking 35 on the year.

Both clubs finished up three-game weekend sets yesterday. The Braves lost in 10 innings at Florida 6-5 while the Dodgers defeated San Diego at home 5-0. The win enabled the Dodgers to salvage the finale of the series and snapped a four-game home losing streak. The Braves had their own five-game win streak snapped by the Marlins.

The Braves now stand 43-39 on the year and trail the New York Mets by five games in the N.L. East. They are also 2.5 back of Arizona in the wildcard race and three back of the 46-36 Dodgers. L.A. trails San Diego in the N.L. West by one game after the clubs began the weekend tied. The Dodgers have just played .500 ball over their last 10 games, 5-5, while the Braves have won 6-of-10 thanks to their five-game win streak. They swept a three-game home series from Washington then won the first two games in Florida over the weekend to get their win streak to five.

L.A. is 23-16 this year at home, 8-5 vs. the N.L. East, 36-25 at night and 17-9 in one-run games. Atlanta is just 10-9 in games decided by one-run but is 21-18 on the road, 7-3 vs. the N.L. West and 29-26 at night.

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