Atlanta Braves at Miami Marlins preview: Aaron Harang vs. Jarred Cosart

The Atlanta Braves scuffled through the great majority of the home series against the Philadelphia Phillies, but on the bright side, they escaped with a win on getaway day, thanks to Christian Bethancourt and a relative offensive explosion. That victory, coupled with an off day, sets the stage for a rested group poised for a productive series as they venture to south Florida to take on the Miami Marlins. Let’s take a look at the match-up in the opener.

The Pitching Match-up:

For the Braves, right-hander Aaron Harang takes the ball, and he has dipped in effectiveness in recent outings. The 36-year-old still has an extremely solid 3.64 ERA for the season, but Harang has allowed three earned runs or more in four straight starts, and he certainly shouldn’t be counted on for a “shut down” performance here. Positively, the spacious Miami ballpark should benefit Harang, and if he can cut down on the free passes (5 walks in his last 11 innings), he should avoid disaster.

In opposition, the Marlins are sending young right-hander Jarred Cosart to the hill. Cosart has posted a highly respectable 3.80 ERA in his first full season as a starter, and he has been electric in the recent past, allowing just 2 earned runs over his 27.2 innings. That is a dreadful recipe for the up-and-down (mostly down) Atlanta offense, but hopefully, Cosart’s hourglass will expire in time.

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The Particulars:

Date: September 5, 2014

Start Time: 7:10 pm ET

TV Channel: Fox Sports South

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: 15-9
• Brad: 10-14

Carlos remains in complete control of the picks contest, but in this one, we are on different sides. The current leader is backing Aaron Harang and the Braves, while I go against my heart in siding with Jarred Cosart and the Marlins. Godspeed.

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).