• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Braves-Cubs Preview

Aug 21, 2010 - 12:00 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Atlanta (71-50) at Chicago (50-72), 4:10 p.m. EDT

Tommy Hanson has been one of baseball's most dominating pitchers over the past six weeks, though it's hard to tell from his win-loss record.

Mired in one of the most unlucky stretches in baseball history, Hanson again tries to earn his first victory since early July and help the NL East-leading Braves win for the ninth time in 11 games Saturday against the Chicago Cubs.

Atlanta (72-50) opened Friday's series at Wrigley Field with a dramatic 5-3 win. Trailing 3-2 with bases loaded and two outs in the ninth, Rick Ankiel lined a 2-2 pitch into the right-field corner for a triple, leading the Braves to their major league-leading 37th comeback victory.

"It's almost like we get extra adrenaline - whatever you want to call it - when it comes to late in the game," Ankiel said. "It's a special feeling. It always feels like we're never out of it, no matter what."

Atlanta, trying to move 23 games over .500 for the first time since Sept. 11, 2005, is 24-15 since July 6. Hanson (8-8, 3.41 ERA) has been on the mound for five of those defeats, but he can hardly be blamed.

Hanson has posted a 1.93 ERA in eight starts since July 9, but is 0-3. Against the Dodgers on Monday, the right-hander allowed one run and five hits in seven innings, but didn't get a decision in the Braves' comeback 4-3 win.

Hanson's tough luck has reached an historic level. By throwing at least six innings while yielding one earned run in each of his last five starts, Hanson became the first pitcher to have five such outings in a row without a victory since 1952.

"There really isn't anything that I can do about that," Hanson told the Braves' official website. "Run support isn't something that I can control."

Hanson has received six total runs of support in his last five starts, and has been backed by two or fewer runs in eight of his last 10 outings.

Atlanta hopes to can get things turned around against scheduled starter Tom Gorzelanny (6-7, 3.85), who is 0-2 with a 5.96 ERA in his last four games.

New Brave Derrek Lee should be up to the task of helping get the offense on track.

Lee, acquired Wednesday after nearly seven seasons with the Cubs (50-73), went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in his Atlanta debut Friday, but is 7 for 15 with two homers and two doubles lifetime against Gorzelanny.

Ankiel, acquired from Kansas City on July 31, is 3 for 3 with a homer against Gorzelanny, who gave up five runs and nine hits in 6 1-3 innings of a 9-5 loss to San Diego on Monday. The left-hander is 1-1 with a 4.19 ERA in three career starts against Atlanta.

This will be Hanson's first start versus the Cubs since his season debut April 8, when he allowed two runs - both on homers - and four hits in 5 1-3 innings of a 2-0 loss. He has given up only six home runs in 24 games since.

Aramis Ramirez hit his 18th homer and drove in two runs Friday for a Cubs team that suffered yet another disappointing loss.

"Sometimes you find ways to lose instead of finding ways to win," said Ryan Dempster, who allowed two runs and four hits in eight innings.

The Cubs, a major league-worst 4-19 since July 27, have dropped eight straight at Wrigley, their longest home skid since losing nine in a row there from May 31-June 27, 2006.