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May 26, 2010 - 3:56 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Atlanta (23-21) at Florida (23-22), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Tommy Hanson took the mound as scheduled for his last start despite battling dizziness. He left the game feeling light-headed for an entirely different reason.

The Atlanta Braves' prized right-hander looks to bounce back from the worst outing of his young career Wednesday night as his team continues a three-game set with the host Florida Marlins.

Hanson (3-3, 4.18 ERA) came into his start Thursday at Cincinnati with a 2.88 ERA, but had felt dizzy prior to taking the mound that afternoon.

The 23-year-old was 10th in the majors in strikeouts (56), but didn't have much of a chance to add to his total. Hanson gave up a career-high eight runs over a career-low 1 2-3 innings. Atlanta ultimately rallied for seven runs in the ninth to win 10-9, but Hanson was hardly celebrating.

"I don't want to sit here and make excuses," he told the Braves' official website. "I've pitched sick before and did fine. Falling behind guys and not hitting my spots. Pretty much that's about it. I didn't do a good job of pitching today."

Perhaps returning to the road will help Hanson. He's 1-2 with a 6.41 ERA at home, but 2-1 with a 1.80 ERA in four outings away from Turner Field.

Hanson is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA and a .150 opponent batting average in two starts against Florida. The one Marlins batter who's had a measure of success versus Hanson is center fielder Cameron Maybin, who's doubled twice and walked in three plate appearances.

Maybin also has a recent history of success versus Atlanta overall. He homered and had his third straight multi-hit game against the Braves in Monday's series opener, a 6-4 victory that allowed the Marlins (24-22) to leapfrog Atlanta (23-22) for second place in the NL East.

"Played a good game," Braves manager Bobby Cox said. "We just didn't win."

Seeking to avoid losing three straight for the first time since a nine-game skid April 21-29, Atlanta will aim to bounce back against Florida's Nate Robertson (4-4, 4.56).

The left-hander, who has yet to make it through six innings in four home starts, took a 4-2 loss Thursday at St. Louis. He gave up four runs, six hits and four walks over six innings.

Robertson's only experience against Florida came in an inning of relief work in 2002, while with Detroit.

He'll get his first look at star rookie Jason Heyward, who had two hits and two RBIs Tuesday in his return from a thumb injury that sidelined him Sunday and had been bothering him for more than a week.

It's Florida's right fielder, however, who has been one of baseball's hottest. Cody Ross drove in two runs with an eighth-inning double Monday, increasing his average to .429 in his last nine games.

"Maybe a couple years ago I'm up there trying to hit a home run, instead of just hitting the ball the other way and driving in one run," Ross said. "That was my approach. I just wanted to get one."

Ross has struck out in all three of his career at-bats against Hanson.