• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Braves-Cubs Preview

Jul 8, 2009 - 4:30 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Atlanta (39-43) at Chicago (41-39), 2:20 p.m. EDT

If the Atlanta Braves are to win their first road series in almost two months, they might have to do it without star Chipper Jones for a second straight game.

With the status of their ailing third baseman uncertain, the Braves look for a second straight victory in the finale of a three-game set against the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.

One night after straining his right groin in a 4-2 loss to the Cubs (41-40), Jones sat out Atlanta's 2-1 victory Tuesday and could miss this contest.

Batting .292 with nine home runs and 40 RBIs, the 37-year-old Jones said he doesn't expect to miss more than one or two games. Atlanta is 6-8 in games not started by Jones, who's 5 for 12 (.417) with three RBIs versus the Cubs this season.

"He's sore," manager Bobby Cox told the Braves' official Web site. "He should be fine in a couple of days."

The Braves (40-43), who snapped a three-game losing streak, are 7-14 away from home since taking two of three from the New York Mets on May 11-13 for their last winning road series.

Brian McCann had two hits and drove in both runs Tuesday for Atlanta, which won despite scoring three or fewer runs for a fourth straight contest. The All-Star catcher is 3 for 8 in the series after going 5 for 31 (.161) with two RBIs in his previous eight games.

"Mac will be fine," Braves' hitting coach Terry Pendleton said. "I think a lot of it has to do with him trying to do too much."

After Javier Vazquez held the Cubs in check, the Braves hope Kenshin Kawakami (4-6, 4.46 ERA) can bounce back from his last start.

The 34-year-old rookie right-hander allowed five runs - four earned - and six hits while striking out six in 4 1-3 innings, but didn't factor in a 9-8 win at Washington on July 3.

"His stuff is still there," Cox said. "He just gets off target once in a while and builds up too many pitches real quick."

Kawakami, who's been plagued by a bruised neck, allowed three earned runs in seven innings of a 6-5, 12-inning win over the Cubs on June 2.

Alfonso Soriano, who homered off Kawakami last month, had two hits Tuesday and is 5 for 16 (.313) in the last four games since being dropped to sixth in the order for Chicago, which lost for the second time in seven contests.

Aramis Ramirez also had two hits in his second game since coming off the disabled list with a dislocated shoulder that sidelined him for almost two months.

One day after being optioned to Triple-A Iowa, right-hander Kevin Hart (0-0, 1.59) was recalled Tuesday to make his first career start in this contest.

Hart, who's made four relief appearances this season, takes Carlos Zambrano's original spot after he started in place of Ryan Dempster on Tuesday.

Dempster was placed on the disabled list with a fractured big toe suffered while jumping the dugout railing to celebrate the team's victory over Milwaukee on Sunday, and could miss up to a month.