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Marlins-Braves Preview

Jul 3, 2010 - 4:58 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Florida (37-41) at Atlanta (46-33), 4:10 p.m. EDT

Strong pitching has helped the Atlanta Braves climb to the top of the NL East.

Tommy Hanson has been a big part of that success, his last two starts notwithstanding.

Hanson looks to put a pair of embarrassing outings behind him when he takes the ball for the Braves on Saturday against the slumping Florida Marlins.

Atlanta (47-33) has opened up a two-game division lead over second-place New York, thanks in large part to a 3.72 staff ERA that ranks fifth in the majors, but has been inflated by Hanson's last two outings.

Against the Chicago White Sox on June 22, Hanson (7-5, 4.50 ERA) was pounded for career highs of nine runs and 13 hits in 3 2-3 innings of a 9-6 loss. He again got lifted with two outs in the fourth Sunday against Detroit, when he surrendered six runs and eight hits in a 10-4 loss.

The two poor performances increased the 23-year-old right-hander's ERA by more than a full run from 3.38.

"It's pretty frustrating, to be honest with you," Hanson said. "It's definitely not fun. It's not a good feeling. I know I can go out there and pitch."

Hanson was 4-0 with a 2.03 ERA in the five starts before his recent nosedive, a stretch that began with a solid outing May 26 at the Marlins. He gave up two runs and four hits in six innings of a 7-3 win, improving to 2-0 with a 3.00 ERA in three career starts versus the Marlins.

The Braves defeated Florida for the third time in four tries this season with a thrilling 4-3, 11-inning victory Friday.

Atlanta looked doomed in the top of the 11th after Marlins third baseman Wes Helms scored from third on a botched squeeze play.

However, Omar Infante hit a two-run single off Florida closer Leo Nunez in the bottom of the frame, giving Atlanta its fifth win in seven games overall. The Braves improved to a major league-best 29-9 at home, including 19-3 since May 18.

"We're at the point in the season where we kind of expect this," said starter Kris Medlen, who limited Florida to one run over 6 1-3 innings.

The Marlins (37-42) aren't feeling the same way, having lost six of eight to fall 9 1/2 games behind Atlanta.

"We have a long way to go," said shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who hit his 13th homer Friday. "We're doing better every day. We do what we have to do."

Ramirez is 7 for 17 with two home runs and eight RBIs in his last four games, and 2 for 4 with a homer lifetime against Hanson.

The Marlins will give the ball to Anibal Sanchez (7-4, 3.18), who gave up two runs and four hits in six innings Sunday, when he didn't get a decision in a 4-2 loss to San Diego. The right-hander went 2-2 with a 3.77 ERA in five June starts after going 4-0 with a 1.93 ERA in six May outings - one of them against Atlanta.

Sanchez allowed two runs in 6 1-3 innings of a 6-4 home win over the Braves on May 25.