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Young pitchers face off as Giants and Braves begin four-game set

Aug 15, 2008 - 5:45 AM San Francisco (50-70) at Atlanta (55-66), 7:30 pm EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- Matt Cain and Jair Jurrjens each represent a positive side of teams mired in mediocrity.

The young hurlers face off as the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves begin a four-game series on Friday.

The Braves (55-66) are worlds away from taking part in the three-team race at the top of the National League East between the New York Mets (65-56), Philadelphia Phillies (64-56) and Florida Marlins (63-59).

Meanwhile, San Francisco (50-70), which is 2-1 against Atlanta, is 11 1/2 games behind the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks (62-59) in the NL West.

Cain (7-9, 3.67 ERA) was the winner of the August 4 showdown against Jurrjens, tossing 6 2/3 solid innings while allowing one run and five hits, striking out six and walking five.

Over his last 11 outings, he boasts a 2.82 ERA with a 1.16 WHIP, but has just four wins to show for it. The 23-year-old has held opponents to three runs or less in seven of those starts.

Jurrjens (11-7, 3.18) surrendered four runs - three earned - and nine hits in six innings while facing Cain and the Giants three starts ago, and has held opponents to three runs or less in eight of his last 10 outings.

The 22-year-old rookie has not served up a home run in five starts after the All-Star break.

San Francisco suffered a four-game sweep at the hands of the sizzling Houston Astros, dropping the finale on Thursday, 7-4.

Aaron Rowand left the game with a an injury to his lower back and will be re-evaluated Friday. Giants manager Bruce Bochy thought the injury occurred during Rowand's only at-bat in the first inning.

Similarly, the Braves didn't have any success in their latest set - a three-game sweep by the Chicago Cubs.