The Atlanta Braves (56-27) will be trying to increase their lead in the National League when they face the Cleveland Guardians (41-42) in the second game of their three-game interleague series on Tuesday night.
Kolby Allard, 0-0, 0.00 ERA, will get the start for the Braves. The Guardians will counter with Shane Bieber, 5-5, 3.48 ERA.
Atlanta and Cleveland split their last 10 meetings.
**This preview was written before Monday’s game was played**
The Braves are playing their best ball of the season at the moment and they’ve won nine of their last 10 games. They currently have the best record in the league and will try to keep the momentum going with a win over the Guardians, which will give them their 10th win in their last 11 games.
Atlanta is averaging 5.66 runs per game. Their .272 batting average is second in the league. Their .341 on base percentage is also second, while their .497 slugging percentage leads the league.
Ronald Acuna Jr. leads Atlanta with a .366 batting average, while Matt Olson leads the team with 28 home runs and 68 RBI.
Atlanta’s pitching has been one of the best in the league, with the team giving up 3.99 runs per game. Opponents have a .240 batting average against the Braves, which is eighth in the league. Their 3.66 ERA is third, while their 1.2 6 WHIP is 12th.
In his last start, Allard gave up three hits and no runs in 4.2 innings, leading to a 3-0 win over Minnesota. They will need a similar effort from him if they want to win this game.