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Braves-Padres Preview

Aug 4, 2009 - 6:34 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Atlanta (53-53) at San Diego (44-63), 10:05 p.m. EDT

One week after the All-Star break, the Atlanta Braves looked like they could potentially end a three-year playoff drought. Less than a week into August, another year without the postseason is looking more likely.

The slumping Braves try to break out of their offensive funk and avoid losing three straight for the first time in four weeks when their series with the San Diego Padres continues Tuesday night.

Atlanta (53-53) stormed out of the break, winning six of seven to pull within three of the wild-card lead on July 22, but very little has gone right since.

The Braves, who haven't made the playoffs since 2005, have lost seven of 11 to drop 5 1/2 back of wild-card leading Colorado and 7 1/2 behind NL East-leading Philadelphia.

A sluggish offense has been the biggest reason for Atlanta's slide.

The Braves managed six hits - five singles - in Monday's 4-2 loss to San Diego to open this three-game set. They have plated seven runs while batting .190 in their last four games.

Second baseman Martin Prado has cooled off, going 6 for 29 (.207) with three RBIs in his last eight games after batting .324 with two home runs and eight RBIs in his previous 10. Garret Anderson is 0 for 16 in his last four games and All-Star catcher Brian McCann is hitless in his last three.

Atlanta, which hasn't lost three straight since July 4-6, appears to have the right man on the mound to end the skid.

Javier Vazquez (8-7, 3.01 ERA), second in the NL in strikeouts (158) and seventh in opponents' batting average (.230), is 3-0 with a 2.94 ERA in his last five starts with the Braves winning each time.

In Thursday's 6-3, 10-inning victory over Florida, the right-hander allowed three runs and five hits with eight strikeouts in 7 1-3 innings.

Vazquez is 3-4 with a 3.23 ERA in 15 starts against the Padres but hasn't faced them since 2005.

San Diego (44-63), which has the second-worst record in the NL, has won six of seven after losing 20 of 24.

Rookie right fielder Will Venable has keyed the turnaround.

He had three hits and a RBI on Monday, and saved at least one run in the seventh with a diving catch to end the inning. Venable is batting .476 (10 for 21) with three home runs and nine RBIs in his last five games after hitting .152 (5 for 33) with no RBIs in his first 12 after the break.

"It's nice to know that I will be getting some at-bats," Venable said. "It allows you to get your timing down, and right now, I am in a good groove."

Tim Stauffer (1-2, 2.57) also has been in a groove and he'll look to build on his first win in nearly three years when he takes the ball Tuesday.

After missing the 2008 season recovering from shoulder surgery, Stauffer has looked sharp in four outings this year, making three quality starts. The only outing that didn't qualify came against Washington on July 25, when he threw one inning before a 3-hour, 11-minute rain delay forced him out.

Stauffer was at his best Thursday, allowing one run and seven hits in seven innings of a 7-4 victory over Cincinnati. It was the right-hander's first win since beating the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 21, 2006.

This will be Stauffer's first appearance against the Braves since his second career start on May 16, 2005.