• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Braves-Padres Preview

Apr 12, 2010 - 4:10 AM By JON PALMIERI STATS Editor

Atlanta (3-2) at San Diego (2-3), 6:35 p.m. EDT

Having the honor of pitching a home opener would be special for any pitcher.

Getting to do it in San Diego will mean a whole lot more to Kevin Correia.

Correia takes the mound for his hometown team Monday when the Padres open their home schedule against the Atlanta Braves.

After spending his first five seasons with San Francisco, Correia was signed to a minor league contract by the Padres in December 2008, and made his debut with the team he grew up rooting for four months later.

The right-hander said he attended many home openers at old Qualcomm Stadium, and now gets the chance to pitch in one at Petco Park.

"It's exciting to be able to pitch at home and have it be opening day," Correia told the Padres' official Web site. "It's going to be something to look back on and remember."

Correia (0-1, 6.00 ERA) hopes to provide the home fans with a better performance than in his season debut. The right-hander allowed four runs and seven hits - including three home runs - over six innings in Wednesday's 5-3 loss at Arizona.

"Everything felt great, I just made a couple of mistakes," said Correia, who struck out six without a walk. "I felt that I gave that game away. One good pitch in any of those situations and we still have the lead."

He is 0-1 with a 5.00 ERA in seven games - three starts - against Atlanta.

A struggling offense was the problem again Sunday for the Padres (2-4) in a 4-2 loss at Colorado. San Diego hitters reached double digits in strikeouts for the fourth time this season, and have a .213 batting average to rank 15th in the NL.

"Our pitching has been great, but now it's up to the offense to get hot and not miss those pitches," outfielder Will Venable said.

Generating consistent offense will continue to be a problem unless San Diego gets better production from the top of its lineup. The Padres have used Tony Gwynn, Jerry Hairston and Everth Cabrera in the leadoff spot through six games with those three combining to go 1 for 24 in that role.

Third baseman Chase Headley continued to swing a hot bat Sunday, raising his team-best batting average to .440 with a pair of hits.

The Braves (3-3) move down the coast after Sunday's 6-3 loss to San Francisco left them with three defeats in four games following a 2-0 start. Brian McCann hit a two-run homer and rookie Jason Heyward hit his third for Atlanta, which played the three-game series without third baseman Chipper Jones (strained oblique).

Jones took grounders Saturday and hit in the cage Sunday. He said he hopes to return to the lineup Wednesday.

Although he wasn't rewarded with a win, Jair Jurrjens (0-0, 0.00) had a solid season debut for Atlanta. He limited the Cubs to two unearned runs and three hits over five innings Wednesday, walking two and striking out two before the Braves rallied late for a 3-2 victory.

The right-hander held an opponent to two earned runs or fewer for the 26th time in his past 35 starts.

Jurrjens has been outstanding in two career starts against the Padres - both at home - going 1-0 with a 1.32 ERA.

Atlanta has won 13 of its last 18 in San Diego.