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Aug 1, 2010 - 12:59 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Atlanta (59-43) at Cincinnati (57-47), 1:10 p.m. EDT

Several moves at the trade deadline appear to have reinforced the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves. The Cincinnati Reds, meanwhile, felt no need to make changes.

The Braves hope the new additions can help them end a nine-game road trip on a positive note when they face the Reds on Sunday.

Although Atlanta (59-44) remains atop the East, it has seen its lead cut on Philadelphia by losing five of eight on this trip. A 5-2 loss to Cincinnati (58-47) on Saturday assured the Braves of ending the swing with a losing record.

In an effort to begin reversing this stretch, the Braves made several deals before Saturday's deadline, including a five-player trade that delivered center fielder Rick Ankiel and reliever Kyle Farnsworth from Kansas City.

The addition of Ankiel might be the biggest boost for the Braves, who demoted struggling center fielder Nate McLouth on Tuesday due to his .168 average.

Melky Cabrera misplayed a ball in center that scored three runs Saturday.

Ankiel batted .261 with four homers and 15 RBIs in 27 games for the Royals, while missing time with an injured right thigh. He's two years removed from posting career highs of 25 homers and 71 RBIs with St. Louis.

"Ankiel's a tremendous outfielder, a great athlete," third baseman Chipper Jones said. "Hopefully, he helps solidify things out there in center."

Farnsworth joins a bullpen that is already one of the NL's best with 21 wins and a 3.20 ERA. The hard-throwing right-hander is 3-0 with a 2.42 ERA in 37 games.

The trades came hours after the Braves learned they'll be without All-Star second baseman Martin Prado for at least a week after he broke the second knuckle on his right pinkie finger while diving into home during Friday's 6-4, 10-inning win.

Tommy Hanson (8-7, 3.99 ERA) takes the mound for Atlanta looking to win for the second time in eight starts. The right-hander is 1-4 with a 5.35 ERA in seven games, but has shown improvement in the last three with a 3.13 ERA despite going 0-2.

Hanson yielded three runs - one earned - with eight strikeouts in six innings Tuesday, while his teammates committed two errors and mustered five hits in a 3-0 loss at Washington.

He was roughed up by the Reds on May 20, surrendering eight runs in 1 2-3 innings of a 10-9 win.

The Reds are locked in a tight race with the Cardinals in the Central, but opted to avoid making any moves at the deadline.

"I've always liked our club," general manager Walt Jocketty said. "I have faith we'll stay in this thing until the end."

Edinson Volquez (1-1, 8.25) will try to show some improvement after making an impressive return from Tommy John surgery in an 8-1 win over Colorado on July 17. He allowed one run with nine strikeouts in six innings.

However, the right-hander has a 15.00 ERA while failing to complete at least four innings in two starts since, including Tuesday's 12-4 win at Milwaukee. He struggled with his command, throwing 95 pitches in 3 2-3 innings and gave up four runs and six hits with four walks and one hit batter.

"My whole body is strong, I just can't throw a strike," Volquez said. "I still have a little bit of a problem with my mechanics. Because my arm is good, my speed was pretty good, too, I just can't put it together."

Volquez is 0-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 17 innings over three starts against the Braves.