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Having won 14 consecutive division titles, the
Atlanta Braves
are not used to struggling early in the season.
Atlanta (23-22) will try to move two games above .500 for the first time this year when it continues a three-game series at
Petco Park against the
San Diego Padres
(23-22) on Tuesday.
The Braves have climbed back into NL East contention behind the strength of their pitching staff, the team's strong suit for
most of the past 15 years.
Tim Hudson
gave Atlanta eight strong innings in a 2-1 victory over Arizona on Sunday and
John Smoltz
followed that up with a 3-1 win over San Diego on Monday.
Atlanta also managed to overcome 16 strikeouts in seven innings by San Diego starter
Jake Peavy
on Monday, a Padres regular season franchise record and the most in the majors since
Mark Prior
had 16 for the
Chicago Cubs
on Sept. 30, 2004.
Ryan Langerhans
' two-run homer provided the difference for the Braves, who have gone 11-4 since May 6, when they were six games under .500
(12-18) for the first time since June 25, 2004. Atlanta now trails the first-place
New York Mets
by four games in the division.
''Peavy was really tough,'' said Langerhans, who homered for the first time since April 7. ''I got that one pitch up over
the plate my first at-bat and took advantage of it.''
The Braves won for the first time in four games at Petco Park. Atlanta is 11-16 on the road this season. Only Washington (28)
has played more road games.
Jorge Sosa
(1-5, 5.55 ERA) looks to build off his first win of the season when he gets the start for Atlanta. The right-hander allowed
one run and six hits, and struck out a season-high eight on Thursday in a 9-1 rout of the
Florida Marlins
.
''I feel very relaxed now that I've won my first game,'' Sosa, a native of the Dominican Republic, said through an interpreter.
''Now it will be easier for me to concentrate better.''
Sosa, who won 13 games last year, has made three scoreless career relief appearances versus San Diego, giving up two hits,
walking two and striking out four in 3 1-3 innings.
San Diego has lost four games in a row and six of its last seven.
The Padres had won seven of their last eight games at Petco Park entering Monday's contest, but reverted to the team that
began the season 3-11 at home.
San Diego hopes it can provide more run support for
Mike Thompson
(1-0, 5.40), who looks to win his second straight start after a successful major league debut.
The rookie right-hander was recalled from Triple-A Portland on Tuesday after
Woody Williams
went on the 15-day disabled list with a torn calf muscle.
On Wednesday, Thompson left in the fifth inning with San Diego leading Arizona 11-2. The Diamondbacks made it close, but the
Padres prevailed 14-10.
''I've been blessed,'' Thompson said. ''I got a lot of run support in Portland, and now this.''
The series finale on Wednesday has Atlanta's
John Thomson
(1-3, 2.76) scheduled to face San Diego's
Chris Young
(3-2, 2.58).
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