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Dodgers-Braves Preview

Jul 31, 2009 - 5:30 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Los Angeles (62-39) at Atlanta (51-50), 7:35 p.m. EDT

In early May, Manny Ramirez became the most prominent player suspended under the drug policy players and owners put in place seven years ago. It now appears that wasn't the only time Ramirez used a banned substance.

Ramirez tries to put aside another off-the-field distraction and break out of his worst slump of the season Friday night when the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers open a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves.

Before the Dodgers' defeated St. Louis 5-3 in 10 innings Thursday to snap a season-long four-game losing streak, a New York Times report said Ramirez and former teammate David Ortiz were among the 104 players who came up positive for performance-enhancing drugs during survey testing in 2003. Ramirez and Ortiz led Boston to the World Series title in 2004, and another championship in 2007.

Ramirez helped carry Los Angeles (63-39) to the NLCS in 2008, but has only played in 49 games this season after serving a 50-game suspension for violating baseball's drug policy.

After returning from this season's suspension on July 3, Ramirez quickly re-established his presence in the middle of the Dodgers' lineup, batting .347 with five home runs and 17 RBIs in 16 games. He has suddenly cooled since.

The 12-time All-Star was hitless in five at-bats Thursday and is 4 for 26 (.154) with no RBIs in his last six games.

In addition to the news surrounding Ramirez, the Dodgers made a significant trade Thursday, acquiring former All-Star closer George Sherrill from Baltimore for two minor leaguers.

Sherrill, who had 20 saves for the Orioles this season, gives Los Angeles a left-handed complement to Jonathan Broxton.

"Obviously, Broxton is our closer, but we'll use (Sherrill) late in the game - eighth, ninth inning" Los Angeles manager Joe Torre said. "It gives us a backup, an experienced backup."

Torre plans to start Jason Schmidt (1-1, 7.88 ERA) in the series opener, but the right-hander might not stay in the rotation much longer.

Schmidt has yielded eight runs and 10 hits over eight innings in two starts after missing the first half of this season and all of 2008 while recovering from two shoulder operations. He has made just six starts since 2007, and has looked nothing like the three-time All-Star that won 17 games in 2003 and 18 in 2004.

Schmidt, who began his career with the Braves in 1995, is 5-8 with a 5.00 ERA in 18 career games against his former team, but hasn't faced them since 2006.

Atlanta returns home looking to carry some momentum from Thursday's 6-3, 10-inning win over Florida. Even after losing the first two games of the series with the Marlins, the Braves are 18-10 since June 27. The run of strong play has improved them from a season-worst six games under .500, to within 3 1/2 games of wild-card leading San Francisco.

"We're still playing good baseball," said catcher Brian McCann, whose three-run homer in the top of the 10th provided Thursday's winning margin. "It's a sign of a good team when you lose a couple in a row and people are a little antsy."

Atlanta, which heads back out on the road for a seven-game trip immediately after this series, is a major league-best 10-2 at home since June 28.

McCann has been instrumental to the home surge, batting .368 (14 for 38) with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 10 games at Turner Field this month.

Rookie Tommy Hanson (5-1, 2.95 ERA), who has posted a 1.47 ERA while winning his last three home starts, looks to bounce back from his first career loss.

After avoiding a blemish on his record through his first eight major league outings, the 22-year-old rookie allowed two runs and nine hits in Saturday's 4-0 loss at Milwaukee. The right-hander lasted seven innings despite flulike symptoms that caused him to lose 12 pounds while a severely sore throat limited him from eating.

The Braves have won six of their last seven home meetings with the Dodgers, including a three-game sweep last season.