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Brewers looking to improve playoff chances

Sep 22, 2007 - 1:18 PM Milwaukee (79-74) at Atlanta (80-74) 3:55 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) - The Milwaukee Brewers look to cut into their deficit in the National League Central when they take on the Atlanta Braves in the third game of a four-game series on Saturday afternoon.

Milwaukee, which has won five of its past seven games, is currently 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Chicago Cubs in the NL Central.

Atlanta still has some faint playoff hopes as it sits 5 1/2 games behind the New York Mets (85-68) in the NL East. The Braves also are 5 1/2 games back of the San Diego Padres (85-68) in the wild card standings.

The Brewers will be sending one of their hottest pitchers of late in Yovani Gallardo (9-4, 3.66 ERA) to the mound. The rookie righthander has won his last four starts, including an outing where he pitched eight scoreless innings against Houston on Monday. The 21-year-old currently has pitched 21 straight innings without allowing a run.

The Braves counter with their veteran ace, John Smoltz (14-7, 2.97). The 40-year-old righthander has won his last two decisions which includes a victory over Florida on Monday in which he allowed one run over six innings. Smoltz has faced Milwaukee once this year, giving up three runs and eight hits in 3 1/3 innings on May 29.

The Braves had won five games in a row before their 4-1 defeat to Milwaukee on Friday. The Brewers rallied for three runs in the eighth inning against Tim Hudson to keep pace in their push to make the postseason for the first time in 25 years.