Atlanta Braves at Cincinnati Reds preview: Mike Minor vs. Mat Latos

In the series opener, the Atlanta Braves pounded the Cincinnati Reds into submission to the point where they were forced to utilize a position player on the mound. If you are a member of Braves Country, the hope would be a similar performance on Friday night, and with that, let’s take a look at the match-up.

The Pitching Match-up:

Left-hander Mike Minor has been a much-maligned member of the roster this season, but in the recent past, he has bounced back nicely. Over his last two starts, Minor has navigated 13.2 innings while allowing just 5 earned runs (3.29 ERA), and he has struck out 14 batters during that time period. It will be interesting to see if Minor can continue to improve on his ugly 5.16 ERA for the season, and this will be his first opportunity in a road start since returning to the rotation.

In opposition, the Reds will send veteran right-hander Mat Latos to the hill, and while he has been outstanding this season at times, the 26-year-old has had trouble staying healthy. Latos has made only 12 starts, covering 78.1 innings, for the season as a result of various maladies, but if he is healthy, this is a difficult match-up for Atlanta’s lineup.

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The Particulars:

Date: August 22, 2014

Start Time: 7:10 pm ET

TV Channel: Fox Sports South, MLB Network (national)

Radio: 680 AM/106.7 FM (Local in Atlanta), Full list of Local Affiliates

Live Stream: MLB.tv (Click Here, $)

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The Predictions:

Before we offer our predictions for today, here’s a look at our records to this point:

• Carlos: 12-7
• Brad: 8-11

Both Carlos and I were spot-on in thinking that David Holmberg would be unable to succeed against the Braves lineup, and as a result, he maintains a sizable lead in the picks contest. On Friday night, we are once again in unison in riding the hot hand, and Mike Minor has our collective fate in his hands.

Please feel free to sound off in the comments with your predictions for the game and feel free to rub it in our faces when you beat us on twitter (@ATLBeatBlog).