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Pirates-Braves Preview

May 30, 2010 - 4:55 AM By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA STATS Senior Writer

Pittsburgh (20-29) at Atlanta (26-22), 1:35 p.m. EDT

Even with Brian McCann hurting, the Atlanta Braves have enjoyed a strong run at the plate during a four-game winning streak. Kenshin Kawakami, though, hasn't benefited from any such performances this year.

The Braves, with McCann's status still uncertain, look to finally give their winless right-hander some support as they conclude a three-game set with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday.

Atlanta (27-22) has won nine of 11 and has gone 18-8 in May to move into second place in the NL East, 1 1/2 games behind Philadelphia. The Braves have scored 28 runs during a four-game winning streak, which includes a 6-3 victory over Pittsburgh (20-30) on Saturday night.

McCann missed his third straight game with a strained right quadriceps, but Atlanta got a homer from Jason Heyward and three RBIs from Martin Prado. McCann took batting practice before the game, and appears close to returning.

Prado, the leadoff hitter, attributes Atlanta's surge to Heyward's move to second in the lineup.

"I think they worry too much about me," said Prado, who has an NL-best 67 hits. "I think he's going to be one of the best two-hole hitters in the game because he's got speed, he's got power. You put a guy like Chipper Jones behind him, you're going to be fine."

Heyward is 8 for 16 with two homers and two doubles in five games against the Pirates and is hitting .368 (14 for 38) in his last 10 games overall.

Heyward had two RBIs in Kawakami's last start, but both came after the pitcher was pulled from the game. Kawakami (0-7, 4.93 ERA) was again the victim of poor run support, taking a loss after allowing three runs in six innings as Atlanta was defeated 6-4 by Florida on Tuesday night.

He has gotten three runs or fewer to work with in seven of his nine starts and hasn't won since beating Florida on Aug. 31.

"The results are that I'm 0-7," Kawakami said, "so I just need to accept that."

In his only start against Pittsburgh, Kawakami surrendered three runs and struck out five in six innings of a 7-6, 15-inning win June 8.

The Pirates will counter with Paul Maholm (3-4, 3.98), who is 1-1 with a 1.33 ERA in four starts versus Atlanta.

Maholm didn't earn a win in his sharpest outing of the season, yielding six hits in seven shutout innings of a 2-1 victory over Cincinnati on Tuesday night. The left-hander is making his sixth start at home, where he is 2-3 with a 4.97 ERA.

Pittsburgh's lineup isn't giving the team's pitchers much margin for error. The Pirates have scored eight runs in losing four straight.

A bright spot for Pittsburgh has been rookie Neil Walker, who is hitting .350 in five starts since being promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday. Walker has made three starts at third base and two starts at second.

"I'm not a rocket scientist, but I can kind of figure out if a guy is swinging the bat pretty well," manager John Russell said.