The Braves' offense has needed to be in top form over Jair Jurrjens' last few starts. Atlanta's starter will try to find his winning form this evening in the first of three straight contests against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jurrjens has struggled to return from a knee injury that cost him the final 24 games of last season, going 0-1 with an 8.10 earned run average through his first three starts this year. He hasn't gotten a decision in his past two outings as the Braves have plated 24 runs over that span.
The right-hander was charged with four runs on seven hits and four walks over four innings on Wednesday versus the Mets.
Jurrjens, 26, is 3-1 with a 3.06 earned run average in six career meetings with the Dodgers.
Atlanta was in line for a four-game sweep of Arizona, but lost Sunday's finale by a 6-4 margin. It snapped the Braves' five-game winning streak, though they still have won 10 of 12 since an 0-4 start.
Michael Bourn went 3-for-3 and scored twice, Freddie Freeman knocked in two runs and Juan Francisco added a solo homer for the Braves.
Randall Delgado lasted just 5 1/3 innings for the Braves, allowing five runs on three hits and four walks with six strikeouts. It defining moment came when he walked Arizona pitcher Ian Kennedy on four pitches with the bases loaded.
"I was trying to be too perfect with the strike zone and that was a big mistake," said Delgado about his walk to Kennedy. "But what can you do? I did it. I can't do that again."
Los Angeles saw its high-octane offense shut down on Sunday with a 12-0 loss in Houston. Chad Billingsley was tagged for nine runs -- five earned -- on four hits and four walks in 3 1/3 innings to take the loss, while Mark Ellis and Jerry Hairston each had two of the Dodgers' six hits.
"It's tough to pitch when you're not getting ahead of hitters and you're not throwing strikes," Billingsley mused.
Los Angeles had a three-game win streak snapped and open a six-game homestand tonight. The Dodgers are 6-0 as the host this season.
Chris Capuano gets the start tonight for the Dodgers. After picking up his first win in a Dodgers uniform on April 12 versus the Pirates, he pitched well in a no-decision on Wednesday in Milwaukee. The left-hander gave up two runs on six hits over six innings.
The 33-year-old Capuano is 4-3 with a 2.82 ERA in 10 career games against the Braves, all but two of those starts.
The Dodgers won five of seven versus the Braves last season.
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