Series Preview: Braves vs. Giants

A 2-8 road trip won't make anybody happy (unless, of course, you're wishing for a high draft pick), but the Braves finally come back home and will battle the Giants in a three-game series. The Braves split a four-game series in San Francisco back in May.

The Giants have alternated wins and losses over their past five games, but before that had won 12 of 13 and are currently 2.5 games out of first in the NL West. Putting pressure on the Dodgers, the Giants have hit .275 since the Break led by who else but Buster Posey (who was out) and his .404 avg. He and Brandon Crawford (insert Chip Caray bromance joke here) share the team RBI lead (12) with Hunter Pence close behind (11). Pence (.310) and Matt Duffy (.349) have also contributed; Joe Panik has hit .319 in 12 games since the Break, but has been bothered with back stiffness and may not play in the opening game on Monday. Pence, Crawford, and Brandon Belt have hit 10 of the team's 16 home runs.

The Braves will see Matt Cain and Jake Peavy in this series, two pitchers who have missed significant time with injury this year. Cain started the season on the DL while Peavy started two games before his DL stint. Peavy's last start was his best by far this year, shutting out Milwaukee over six innings. He's gone two straight starts without a walk and has just two in his last 25.1 innings. Matt Cain has alternated good and bad starts since returning July 2, allowing four runs in six innings in his last start. He last faced the Braves in 2013. Madison Bumgarner, who was roughed up early in his last start, will pitch in the finale on Wednesday for the Giants.

PROBABLE STARTERS

Monday, August 3, 7:10 p.m. ET
ATL: Mike Foltynewicz
2015: 10 starts, 3-3 W-L, 5.04 ERA, 4.34 FIP, 2.97 BB/9, 8.90 K/9

SFG: Matt Cain
2015: 5 starts, 2-2 W-L, 4.50 ERA, 4.05 FIP, 2.25 BB/9, 7.39 K/9

Tuesday, August 4, 7:10 p.m. ET
ATL: Shelby Miller
2015: 21 starts, 5-8 W-L, 2.44 ERA, 3.24 FIP, 2.84 BB/9, 7.51 K/9

SFG: Jake Peavy
2015: 7 starts, 2-4 W-L, 4.12 ERA, 4.31 FIP, 2.29 BB/9, 5.72 K/9

Wednesday, August 5, 7:10 p.m. ET
ATL: Williams Perez
2015: 9 starts, 4-1 W-L, 4.14 ERA, 4.65 FIP, 4.47 BB/9, 6.79 K/9

SFG: Madison Bumgarner
2015: 21 starts, 11-6 W-L, 3.39 ERA, 3.27 FIP, 1.70 BB/9, 9.07 K/9