The San Francisco Giants are making their presence felt in the National League West as a three-game win streak have moved them just one-and-a-half games behind division leaders, Los Angeles Dodgers. Will the Giants extend their win streak? Or will they succumb to the arm of Shelby Miller, who’s been laying waste on the competition this season?
Still in California, a Game 7 between the Chicago Hawks and the Anaheim Ducks is needed to decide which team will advance to the Stanley Cup Final. See a preview of that game here.
[sc:MLBArticles ]Atlanta Braves vs. San Francisco Giants Preview
Where: AT&T Park, San Francisco
When: Thursday, May 28, 10:15 PM ET
Line: Atlanta Braves (+123) vs. San Francisco Giants (-133); total: 6.5 – view all MLB lines
Betting on the Atlanta Braves
[sc:MLB240banner ]Atlanta has some new players in the fold, but it’s Shelby Miller, who’s going to be the center of attention later tonight for the Braves. Miller, who’s been near impeccable of late, looks to extend his string of terrific performances when he takes on the Giants in a three-game series opener.
Miller (5-1, 1.50 ERA) hasn’t faced the Giants since being traded to Atlanta from St. Louis last year. However, Miller has tamed the defending champions in two career regular season starts before, both of which were in 2013. That season, Miller went 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA over 12.1 total innings against San Francisco.
But more recently, Miller has been near untouchable especially this month, wherein he is 2-0 with a 0.87 ERA (second in the majors this May), and a 2.30 FIP (fourth best). Miller allowed two runs on seven hits, while striking out five batters over six innings in his most recent start–a 3-2 win over Milwaukee on May 23—but received a no decision. Pitching in a pitcher-friendly stadium like the AT&T Park should help Miller get a win in the series opener.
AT&T Park has also been friendly to Braves outfielder Nick Markakis. Markakis, who is batting .360 over Atlanta’s last seven games, has a triple slash line of .391/.481/.478 in six career games at San Francisco’s home field.
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Betting on the San Francisco Giants
As good as Shelby Miller has been thus far this season, he’ll have to overcome the bad memories he had the last time he faced San Francisco when he takes on the Giants later tonight. In his most recent start against the Giants, Miller allowed three runs on six hits in just three plus innings in St. Louis’ 6-4 loss in Game 4 of last year’s National League Championship Series.
Nevertheless, the Giants’ offense will be heavily tested by the surging Braves pitcher in Game 1 of this Atlanta-San Francisco series. The Giants’ offense has been lighting up the stat sheets of late, as evidenced by the team’s .274 batting average (third overall this month) and .323 BABIP (second) thus far this May.
Offseason pick-up and leadoff hitter Nori Aoki is a big part of San Francisco’s success at the plate lately. Aoki is hitting .337/.400/.465 this month, and along with Joe Panik, has formed a reliable 1-2 punch atop the Giants’ lineup. Aoki is 7-for-18 (.389) with a homer in his career against Miller.
Panik has a .302 average (26-for-86) with two homers and nine RBIs since the start of May.
The need for the Giants’ offense to step up is amplified by the ongoing struggles of Chris Heston (4-3, 4.33 ERA) this month. Heston was lucky the offense was there to cover for him in his last start, as he allowed six earned runs on eight hits in five plus innings of work in the Giants’ 10-8 win over Colorado on May 23.
The Giants are 5-1 in their last six home games against Atlanta.
Writer’s Prediction
Atlanta (+123) wins, 4-1.
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