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Braves-Diamondbacks Preview

May 30, 2009 - 6:26 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Atlanta (24-24) at Arizona (21-28), 4:10 p.m. EDT

The Atlanta Braves haven't been good at building on their biggest offensive games this season. They'll get another chance Saturday night.

After snapping a four-game skid, the Braves look to win their second straight from the Arizona Diamondbacks in the continuation of their four-game set.

The Braves (24-24), who scored seven runs and hit .177 during their losing streak, broke out with 13 hits in a 10-6 win Friday.

Yunel Escobar hit a three-run homer and Jair Jurrjens doubled home two runs to help Atlanta jump out to a 9-1 lead in the third inning. Jurrjens, however, left after giving up five runs over five innings as the Diamondbacks attempted a comeback.

"Baseball is so funny," he said. "You ask for runs, they give you a lot of runs, then you give back a lot of runs."

Atlanta's next task will be getting its lineup to carry over that outburst to the next game. The Braves have scored 10 or more runs on five other occasions this season, but they've followed that up with a loss four times. Atlanta has scored a combined six runs in those losses while hitting .200.

Friday's contest marked the fifth time in seven games that the Diamondbacks allowed six or more runs. Chad Tracy had three hits, including a homer, and drove in four for Arizona.

"Certainly our guys bounced back and tried to make a game of it," rookie manager A.J. Hinch said. "But all in all, just kind of got beat up tonight."

Arizona has lost six of eight at home and is 11-18 at Chase Field this season - the third-worst home record in the NL.

The Diamondbacks will try to break out of their home slump against Javier Vazquez (4-4, 3.80 ERA), who has pitched well on the road this season.

Vazquez, who went 11-15 with a 4.42 ERA for Arizona in 2005, is 3-1 with a 3.16 ERA in five road starts this year. He struggled in his last outing away from home, however, allowing five runs and eight hits over 5 2-3 innings of an 8-2 loss to the Giants on Monday.

The right-hander faced the Diamondbacks for the first time since 2003 on May 15 in Atlanta, but failed to get a decision after allowing two runs and five hits over seven innings of a 4-3 victory.

Vazquez was opposed by Doug Davis (2-6, 3.77) then, and will match up against him again. Davis pitched six innings and allowed three runs and four hits but also didn't get a decision.

The Diamondbacks have lost Davis' last five starts and are 2-8 this season with him on the mound. He's looking for his first win since pitching seven scoreless innings in a 10-0 rout of the Cubs on April 29.

Davis went 7 1-3 innings against the Padres on Monday, allowing four runs - two earned - and five hits in a 9-7, 10-inning victory.

Atlanta has won five of its last seven in Phoenix and has scored 10 or more runs in four of those wins.