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Dodgers eye third straight win against Braves

Apr 19, 2011 - 2:33 PM (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Dodgers try to win three in a row for the first time this season as they continue a four-game series against the visiting Atlanta Braves at Chavez Ravine.

The Dodgers picked up thier second straight win following a five-game slide by besting the Braves, 4-2, on Monday. Los Angeles got to Atlanta starter Tim Hudson early, getting an RBI single from Matt Kemp and a double by James Loney that scored two runs in the first inning. That helped starter Ted Lilly get his first victory of the season after he gave up four hits over seven scoreless innings.

"Anytime we can get a lead early on a pretty good pitcher is nice," said Lilly. "I was locating my fastball. I got away with a few mistakes. That said, I think I was a little better tonight."

Los Angeles added another hot hitter to its outfield last night after recalling Jerry Sands from Triple-A Albuquerque and starting him in left field on Monday. Sands, who was hitting .400 with five homers and 17 RBI in 10 minor league games this year, doubled in his first at-bat and later added a sacrifice fly for his first career RBI.

He is expected to start regularly in an outfield that already contains the red-hot Kemp and Andre Ethier. Kemp leads the majors with a .459 average to go along with 13 RBI and 13 runs scored, while Ethier has a hit in 16 of his 17 games this season and is batting .404 with a homer and seven RBI over his current 15-game hitting streak.

Atlanta, meanwhile, didn't do any of its damage until the ninth inning, when Freddie Freeman and Nate McLouth both drove in a run. Hudson ended up allowing the four runs over six innings as the Braves lost for the sixth time in nine games in the opener of a 10-game road trip out west.

"After the first inning Tim kept us in the game," said Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez. "I thought Lilly was very good. He changed speeds on his fastball, but I liked what I saw with some of our at-bats."

The Braves also lost a series opener for the first time this year after winning their first five.

After Hudson's early struggles, Braves starter Brandon Beachy will look for a good start tonight as he tries again for his first major league win. The 24- year-old is 0-3 with a 4.18 earned run average in six career starts, including 0-1 with a 5.19 ERA in three this season.

Beachy has given up nine runs over his past two starts, including five in 5 1/3 innings versus the Marlins on Thursday in a no-decision. He also walked four and struck out eight.

"I definitely learned these last two starts, something that's already known, that I don't start the quickest," Beachy admitted. "It takes me an inning or two to get going. When I can settle down, I know it's going to be a good day. I need to have pitches, especially my breaking ball there from the first inning."

The right-hander has never before faced the Dodgers, but allowed a run over six innings in his lone road start this season.

The Dodgers' Hiroki Kuroda attempts to avoid a second straight loss after a rough go of things last time.

The 35-year-old came within one out of a shutout on April 9 in winning his second straight start, but was then touched for six runs -- five earned -- on 10 hits over five innings of a setback to the Cardinals. Kuroda's ERA jumped from 1.72 to 3.48 thanks to the outing.

"Just didn't seem to be as sharp tonight," LA manager Don Mattingly told his club's website. "It's kind of the danger of last time. He goes deep into that game, going for that shutout, so you allow him to go a little farther than you would normally like. You don't know if it's a byproduct of that, but he wasn't as sharp tonight."

Kuroda, a right-hander, has been sharp in his career versus the Braves with little to show for it. He has a 1.93 ERA in four career starts against them, but is only 1-3 in that span.

The Braves won five of eight from the Dodgers last year, splitting four games in Los Angeles.