Dodgers Vs. Braves Preview: Beckett Looks To Bounce Back

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After completing a three-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants to propel them to first place in the National League West, the Los Angeles Dodgers begin a three-game set tonight at home against the Atlanta Braves. This is the first matchup between these two teams this season.

Josh Beckett is on the mound as he looks to earn the Dodgers their fourth straight victory. Beckett is 6-5 with a 2.52 ERA this season. In 17 career starts against the Braves, Beckett is 8-7 with a 2.07 ERA. However, the right-hander has not faced Atlanta in over five years. Beckett is looking to get back on track as he is winless in his last five home starts.

Opposing Beckett, is the San Diego product Aaron Harang. This season, Harang is 9-6 with a 3.31 ERA. The right-hander has pitched below average against Los Angeles, going 4-6 with a 4.26 ERA over 11 career starts. This is Harang’s first time facing the Dodgers as a member of the Braves.

Shortstop Hanley Ramirez and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez are two players who have faired well against Harang. For his career, Ramirez is batting .385 with five home runs and seven RBIs against Harang. Gonzalez has posted a .412 lifetime batting average with three home runs and five RBIs against the right-hander. Both players have a 1.000 slugging percentage in their career against Harang and can give the Dodgers a boost offensively.

This game marks the first of an eight-game home stand for the Dodgers and the first game at home since coming off the All-Star break. Los Angeles enters tonight’s contest two games in front of San Francisco for first place in the NL West standings.

Dodgers Lineup

2B: Gordon

CF: Puig

1B: Gonzalez

SS: Ramirez

LF: Crawford

RF: Kemp

3B: Uribe

C: Butera

P: Beckett

Braves Lineup

CF: Upton

2B: LaStella

1B: Freeman

LF: Upton

C: Gattis

3B: Johnson

RF: Doumit

SS: Simmons

P: Harang

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