Atlanta Braves Finish 1st Half With 4 Games at Coors Field

The Atlanta Braves sit just one game below .500 (42-43) with four remaining before the All-Star Break. Atlanta has won its last three series against the Washington Nationals, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Milwaukee Brewers, going 7-3 in the club’s last 10 games. All that stands between the Braves and a well-deserved rest in a four game set at launching pad Coors Field against the last-place Colorado Rockies.

Walt Weiss‘ Rockies team finds itself 11 games back of first place Los Angeles in the NL West with a 35-48 record entering Wednesday night. Colorado has only won 2 of its last 10 games and still struggles to understand how to play competitive baseball at mile high altitudes. The only starting pitcher announced to pitch in the four-game series with the Atlanta Braves is tonight’s starter Kyle Kendrick (3-10, 6.00 ERA). It seems like the rotational issues with Colorado are as maddening as ever in the Mile High City.

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Alex Wood (6-5, 3.34 ERA) gets the start for the Atlanta Braves this evening. Woody has won both of his last two starts and has a 3.15 ERA in his last 7 games for Atlanta. Though Wood has had a tendency to give up a ton of hits in 2015, he might actually be able to get away with it in hitter-friendly Coors Field. That is assuming that the Braves’ bats thrive in the Denver altitude.

Tomorrow night’s starter for the Braves is first-time MLB All-Star RHP Shelby Miller (5-4, 2.07 ERA). Miller will be eligible to pitch in the Mid-Summer Classic since he isn’t throwing on Sunday. This guy has done a fantastic job leading the Atlanta rotation this season in spite of never getting any run support. I have a great feeling about Miller’s last start of the first half. Something tells me that he comes away victorious Friday night to improve to 6-4 before heading to Cincinnati to partake in the All-Star festivities.

Matt Wisler (3-1, 3.13 ERA) will make his fifth Major League start Saturday night. It will be very interesting to see how the young Wisler handles pitching in an adverse environment like Coors Field. I love his ability to command four plus pitches as a 22-year old. While I want to have optimism in his start Saturday night, I honestly have no idea how Matt will do against the Rockies, but I’m certainly hoping for the best.

In the series finale and the final game of the first half, rookie LHP Manny Banuelos (1-0, 0.82 ERA) takes the mound for the Atlanta Braves. Manny will make his third career start for Atlanta Sunday afternoon. Like Wisler, I have no idea how the 24-year old will fair in the launching pad that is Coors Field. I’ve liked how Banuelos has gone after hitters in the early innings of his ball games. But I hope fatigue isn’t again a factor in his third big league start. He has too good of stuff to not get out of the 6th inning. If Manny Banuelos can command his changeup, I like the Braves chances to win this game.

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