The surging Braves and slumping Padres are scheduled to meet in a game three rubber match this afternoon at Petco Park in San Diego. Atlanta rebounded from its extra innings game one loss with a resounding 8-2 victory last night to even the series 1-1. It will look to win its second consecutive series with staff ace Tommy Hanson on the hill today; the Padres will also send their top hurler, Mat Latos, to the mound in hopes of garnering their 10th win of the season. First pitch in today's game is scheduled for 3:35pm ET. MLB Odds have the game listed as a -110 moneyline pick'em while the Over six is favored at -120 odds.
Atlanta (12-13) still finds itself 4.5 games out of first place in the National League East, but its play of late would suggest 
the team is going to be in the thick of things most of the summer. The Braves have won four of their last five games with their offense, which ranks 18th in the league in runs scored (98), cranking out 29 runs since an April 22nd meeting with the Giants (5.8 runs per game).
Atlanta's pitching staff has also been an integral part of the team's recent success as San Francisco and San Diego totalled 16 runs opposite the Braves in that same span of games.
Tommy Hanson, who got things rolling for Atlanta with a 4-1 win over the Giants last Friday, will look to build on the winning trend today. Since opening the season with back-to-back losses, Hanson has been brilliant, allowing just 12 hits and four earned runs in his last 19 innings of work. Hanson, who is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in three starts against San Diego, is 2-3 on the season with a 3.21 ERA.
The Padres, losers in seven of their last nine games, will need Latos at his best if they are to get a win this afternoon. San Diego's offense has been horrid all season long, but its struggles during the team's recent slump defy all explaination. The Padres are averaging just 1.9 runs per game over their last nine games.
Latos has yet to find his form this season as his 0-3 record and 5.94 ERA would indicate. The Virginia native had his worst outing of the season his last time out, giving up four hits, five walks, and three earned runs (4.1 innings) in a 0-3 loss to the Phillies last Thursday.
Atlanta has won five of the last seven meetings between these two clubs; San Diego's two wins in that stretch both required extra innings. The Over is 5-1-1 in those same seven games.
Braves vs Padres Odds 2011 MLB Predictions:
Atlanta Braves -1.5 (+155), Over 6 (-120), -110 (Moneyline)
San Diego Padres +1.5 (-175), Under 6 (+100), -110 (Moneyline)
