The Atlanta Braves won’t face the Dodgers ace pitchers in this series and they look to take advantage by capturing Wednesday’s series finale. The Dodgers look to improve their road record as they hit the downward slope on their post All-Star break 10-game road trip.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Los Angeles’ chances of winning decrease when aces Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke don’t pitch and that was the case in Monday’s opener when Brandon Beachy was clubbed around by the Braves in a 7-5 Atlanta win. The Dodgers lost their last two games not started by one of their aces and turn to Mike Bolsinger in the series finale. The Dodgers are 7-7 in games started by Bolsinger but just 2-5 in his seven road starts.
Looking to get on a run and move closer to the .500 mark, the Braves are hopeful Monday’s 7-5 win is just the boost they need. Atlanta entered the series with just one win in its previous eight games and had scored better than four runs only once in that span. The Braves won each of Julio Teheran’s last three starts at Turner Field, cashing the under each time, and they are 6-1 in his last seven home outings.
PITCHING MATCHUP
Mike Bolsinger (4-3, 3.04 ERA) completed four innings Friday at Washington in his last start before the game was suspended due to a power outage. He hasn’t completed six innings since June 8 – a span of seven starts – but he’s managed to keep the Dodgers in every game and that’s good enough for now.
In his only previous start against the Braves, Bolsinger allowed five runs and 10 hits in 3.2 innings as a member of the Diamondbacks on July 5, 2014.
Julio Teheran (6-4, 4.53 ERA) finished the first half with back-to-back strong starts but wasn’t particularly sharp Friday against the Cubs, allowing two runs on five hits with three walks. He was pulled with two out in the fifth in his shortest home outing of the year and his shortest start since going 4.1 innings at the Dodgers on May 26.
Teheran allowed 10 hits and eight runs at LA, taking the loss in an 8-0 game. He’s been charged with the loss in his three previous starts against LA, posting a 6.86 ERA over 19.2 innings.
QUOTE TO NOTE
“That’s something I can’t control. I’m not going to lie, obviously I was surprised because I was competing right there and that’s what I can do when I got in trouble like I did in the first inning. Just one mistake that I made, and you know how this game is, you pay for it.” – Atlanta pitcher Julio Teheran after getting pulled in the fifth inning of his last start.
LIVE BETTING or SITUATIONAL BETTING
The Dodgers’ catching ranks took a blow in the last few days with Yasmani Grandal and A.J. Ellis both getting banged up over the weekend. Grandal appears to have avoided serious injury after being hit on the mask by a foul ball in Sunday’s game. He left the game and tests revealed no jaw injury or concussion-like symptoms. He will be reevaluated and will most likely miss a few days. Ellis was not so lucky. He was placed on the disabled list Monday with knee inflammation. Austin Barnes, who had a brief stint with the big league club earlier this season, was recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to fill in. Barnes has a nice .304/.385/.484 batting line with eight home runs at Oklahoma City and hit .200 (1 of 5) in five major league games.
PROP TALK
Between missing an extended period of time due to injuries and a significant drop in numbers across the board, it’s been a disappointing season for Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig. But a big post All-Star run is very much in play and he got off to a good second half start with five hits in 12 at-bats in Washington over the weekend. Puig missed games with Atlanta back in May while on the DL, but enters this series with a .444 career batting average (20 for 45) with three home runs and eight RBIs against the Braves.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The Dodgers had a little hiccup in the series opener but going against a scuffling Julio Teheran will cure all their ills. Getting Carl Crawford back creates another logjam in LA’s outfield, similar to the situation they had last year with Matt Kemp. The Dodgers are hopeful Crawford’s presence sparks the underachieving Yasiel Puig and slumping Joc Pederson. Crawford gives the team more flexibility and allows manager Don Mattingly to get his other guys some extra days off down the stretch.
Los Angeles 6, Atlanta 3
The baseball betting odds for this game will first be available at BookMaker Sportsbook. BookMaker is going to have multiple betting options available for this nationally-televised baseball matchup. Live wagering during commercials offers an adjusted moneyline, individual inning run totals and next hitter results. Log in and start gambling during the game now!
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