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Braves try to continue winning ways against Reds

Aug 21, 2007 - 2:53 PM Atlanta (66-59) at Cincinnati (54-70) 7:10 pm EDT

CINCINNATI (Ticker) - The Atlanta Braves will look to win three consecutive games when they take on the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday in game two of the four-game set.

The Braves won 14-4 in the first game of the series Monday on the strength a grand slam by Brian McCann and two home runs by Mark Teixeira.

Teixeira has been on fire since being acquired by the Braves on August 1 from the Texas Rangers. The 27-year-old first baseman leads the National League with nine home runs and 25 RBI in August.

The Braves are tied for second place with the Philadelphia Phillies (65-58) in the NL East and are just one game back of the San Diego Padres (66-57) in the wild card standings.

Rookie Jo-Jo Reyes (0-1, 8.72 ERA) will start for the Braves on Tuesday in place of Chuck James, who is sitting out due to an inflamed shoulder. In his last outing on August 2, the lefthander permitted four runs and four hits over three frames in a no-decision of a 12-11 loss to Houston.

The 22-year-old faced the Reds in his second major league start, taking the loss on July 17 when he surrendered four runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings.

Bobby Livingston (3-3, 4.70) will counter the Braves when he takes the mound for the Reds. Livingston allowed five runs on 11 hits over five innings on Thursday, suffering a 12-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs. The righthander is 2-3 with a 5.22 ERA in his seven starts since entering the rotation on July 16.

The Reds beat the Braves, 10-3, in Livingston's first career appearence against Atlanta on July 16. Livingston pitched five innings, scattering eight and surrendering two runs while striking out four and walking two.