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Braves-Dodgers Preview

Jun 3, 2010 - 1:45 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Atlanta (30-22) at Los Angeles (30-22), 10:10 p.m. EDT

Over the past two weeks, the Atlanta Braves have vaulted from worst to first in the NL East. The next two weeks could determine if they have what it takes to stay there.

The surging Braves look to win nine straight games for the first time in a decade when they open a season-high 11-game trip Thursday night against a Los Angeles Dodgers team seeking its fifth consecutive victory.

Atlanta's chances of reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2005 weren't looking good as a nine-game losing streak from April 21-29 dropped the club a season-worst six games below .500. The Braves (31-22) were still 6 1/2 games back of first-place Philadelphia on May 17, but they've gone a major league-best 13-2 to open up a 2 1/2-game division lead.

Atlanta finished a three-game sweep of the defending NL champion Phillies on Wednesday with a 2-1 win. The Braves, who have outscored their opponents 51-21 during the eight-game winning streak, haven't won nine consecutive games since reeling off a franchise-best 15 straight from April 16-May 2, 2000.

No team has had both a winning and losing streak of at least nine games in a single season since Cleveland in 2008, which had runs of 10 games.

"We can make something special here," said Braves second baseman Martin Prado, who is batting .424 with six RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak. "We're going to be a surprise."

It would certainly be a surprise if Atlanta can continue its winning ways over this next stretch.

After this four-game series at Dodger Stadium, the Braves have four in Arizona followed by a three-game series at AL Central-leading Minnesota. Atlanta then returns home for three against Tampa Bay, owner of baseball's best record.

The Dodgers (31-22) enter this series having won three straight games in their final at-bat. Garret Anderson came up with the big hit in Wednesday's 1-0 win over Arizona, driving in Matt Kemp with a two-out single in the 14th inning.

"I just try to contribute as much as I can," Anderson said. "Fortunately I was able to do something today when it counted."

Los Angeles has won four straight despite Andre Ethier's struggles at the plate.

Ethier is 1 for 14 in three games since coming off the disabled list after missing the previous 15 because of a broken right pinky finger. He hit .367 (11 for 30) with three homers, two doubles and nine RBIs in seven games against Atlanta last season, but the Dodgers lost four.

Hiroki Kuroda (5-3, 3.55 ERA) takes the ball for Los Angeles looking to bounce back from his worst outing of the season.

After going 3-1 with a 3.58 ERA in his first five May starts, Kuroda was tagged for seven runs - five earned - and 10 hits in a season-low four innings of Saturday's 11-3 loss at Colorado.

"Just turn the page on that one," Joe Torre told the Dodgers' official website.

Kuroda is 1-1 with a 1.20 ERA in two starts against the Braves, and in his only outing against them at Dodger Stadium, the right-hander threw a one-hitter, winning 3-0 on July 7, 2008.

Atlanta counters with Kris Medlen (2-1, 2.85), who is 1-0 with a 3.22 ERA in four starts since joining the rotation.

Against Pittsburgh on Saturday, Medlen gave up three runs and nine hits in six innings of a 6-3 win.

This will be the right-hander's first career start against the Dodgers after going 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA in four relief outings against them last season.