Pittsburgh Pirates (24-31, third in the NL Central) vs. Atlanta Braves (31-27, second in the NL East)
Atlanta; Friday, 7:20 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Roansy Contreras (1-0, 1.93 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 26 strikeouts); Braves: Spencer Strider (1-2, 3.31 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 49 strikeouts)
LINE: Braves -220, Pirates +182; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Pittsburgh Pirates, on a three-game losing streak, play the Atlanta Braves.
Atlanta is 31-27 overall and 17-14 at home. The Braves have hit 76 total home runs to rank second in MLB play.
Pittsburgh is 24-31 overall and 11-14 in road games. The Pirates have a 19-9 record in games when they record at least eight hits.
Friday's game is the second time these teams meet this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Austin Riley leads Atlanta with 15 home runs while slugging .524. Ronald Acuna Jr. is 13-for-36 with three home runs and six RBI over the past 10 games.
Ke'Bryan Hayes has 13 doubles and two home runs for the Pirates. Jack Suwinski is 12-for-32 with two doubles and three home runs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Braves: 8-2, .292 batting average, 3.13 ERA, outscored opponents by 29 runs
Pirates: 5-5, .231 batting average, 3.24 ERA, outscored opponents by one run
INJURIES: Braves: Collin McHugh: 10-Day IL (undisclosed), Eddie Rosario: 60-Day IL (eye), Manny Pina: 60-Day IL (wrist), Tyler Matzek: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Jay Jackson: 60-Day IL (lat), Luke Jackson: 60-Day IL (undisclosed), Mike Soroka: 60-Day IL (achilles), Kirby Yates: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Pirates: Dillon Peters: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Josh VanMeter: 10-Day IL (finger), Ben Gamel: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Yoshitomo Tsutsugo: 10-Day IL (undisclosed), Heath Hembree: 15-Day IL (right calf), Kevin Newman: 60-Day IL (groin), Roberto Perez: 60-Day IL (hamstring), Jake Marisnick: 10-Day IL (thumb), Greg Allen: 60-Day IL (hamstring), Blake Cederlind: 60-Day IL (elbow), Nick Mears: 60-Day IL (elbow)
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