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Braves return home, host Athletics

May 16, 2008 - 2:05 PM Oakland (23-19) at Atlanta (20-20) 7:35 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) - The Atlanta Braves return home to kick off their interleague schedule Friday against the Oakland Athletics.

The Braves, who own a major league-best 14-4 home record, lost five contests on their seven-game road trip - including a 5-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday.

Entering an 11-game homestand, Atlanta has won seven straight contests at Turner Field.

Jair Jurrjens (4-3, 3.10 ERA) has been one of the major reasons for the club's success at home. The 22-year-old righthander is 3-0 with a 1.96 ERA in three home starts this season.

Jurrjens yielded three runs on three hits and three walks with five strikeouts over five innings during Monday's 5-0 setback to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

He will be opposed by lefthander Dana Eveland (3-3, 3.23), who is hoping to avoid a third straight loss. The 24-year-old allowed three runs and six hits over six frames in Saturday's 6-4 loss to the Texas Rangers.

The Athletics have lost three consecutive games and five of six contests, during which time they have been shutout three times.

Oakland is tied with the New York Yankees at 113 interleague wins since the scheduling quirk was introduced in 1997.