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Braves hope to bounce back against Padres

May 31, 2011 - 3:04 PM (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Braves have been giving baseball fans their money's worth with eight extra-inning games in their last 18 contests. They have played 17 innings of extended baseball since May 11 and are 6-6 in 12 extra-inning games so far this season.

Atlanta will try to bounce back from Monday's 3-2 loss in 10 innings to the San Diego Padres tonight in the middle contest of this three-game set. Kyle Phillips belted a solo homer off of Braves reliever George Sherrill in the top of the 10th inning and Padres closer Heath Bell shut the door on the Braves with a 1-2-3 bottom half to preserve the win and capture his 13th save.

While Sherrill absorbed the loss, Braves veteran starter Tim Hudson lasted six innings and allowed two runs, one of which was earned, and five hits. Hudson struck out seven and did not walk a batter.

"It was a tough loss. It's another one of those where I feel like we should have won," said Hudson. "We've got to come out tomorrow and try to get some momentum going, try to get a 'W' on the board."

Brian McCann returned to the lineup after a day off of rest to finish 3-for-5 with two RBI. Freddie Freeman recorded a pair of hits for Atlanta, which entered the game with five wins in seven tries and fell to 2-2 on a six-game homestand. Chipper Jones came on to pinch-hit in the ninth and stayed in the game at third base. Jones is dealing with a torn meniscus in his right knee that could require surgery.

"I can still play right now," Jones told the Braves' website. "If [the discomfort] ever gets to the point where it was the day I got the MRI, we might need to make a decision. It's doable now."

Martin Prado had a hit last night to extend his home hitting streak to 19 games. Prado is batting .358 with six homers and 25 RBI in Atlanta's 30 wins this season. He is batting below .200 in the 25 losses.

Braves young hurler Mike Minor gets the call Tuesday and will make the 12th appearance (11th start) of his career. He lost at Milwaukee on April 6 in a 5-4 loss, allowing all five runs in 4 1/3 innings, then toed the rubber in a 4-2 win at Pittsburgh. Minor did not record a decision against the Pirates and tossed 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball.

Minor, a left-hander, has never faced San Diego and was the seventh overall selection in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft.

The Padres have won three in a row and four of five games since a five-game losing streak and improved to 3-1 on a six-game road trip with Monday's 3-2 victory in extra innings.

Phillips was the hero with his solo homer in the 10th and Ryan Ludwick drove in the first two runs for San Diego, which got two hits from Eric Patterson and six innings of two-run ball out of starter Aaron Harang. Chad Qualls collected the win with a scoreless ninth and Bell shut the Braves down with a strikeout during the ninth.

"Obviously to hit a game-winning homer for my hometown team, a team I grew up watching born and raised in San Diego, it's pretty special," said Phillips. "To come in late in the game and put a good swing on the ball, have some results, it's kind of icing on the cake for us as well."

Padres center fielder Cameron Maybin did not play for a third straight game to rest his right knee and may have to undergo an MRI. Maybin is hitting .254 with five homers and 15 RBI this season and has been replaced by Blake Tekotte in the field.

Since beginning the season 0-5 with a 4.86 earned run average over his first six starts, Padres starter Mat Latos has won two of three trips to the hill with a 2.75 ERA over that stretch. Latos gets the call tonight and is coming off eight innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 win over St. Louis last Wednesday.

Latos, a right-hander, tied a season high with seven strikeouts against the Cardinals and is just 1-2 in three road starts this season. He lost to Atlanta at home back on April 27, when he allowed six runs -- one earned -- in five innings of a 7-0 setback from Petco Park. He is 1-2 with a 2.28 ERA in four career starts against the Braves.

The Braves won two of three meetings in San Diego from April 25-27 and have won six of the previous nine matchups between the two clubs.