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Atlanta Braves are expected to have Tom Glavine back on the mound tonight, when they close out a three-game series versus the
Chicago Cubs at Turner Field.
Glavine has been on the disabled list since June 11 with a sore left elbow, and last took the hill on June 10 at Chicago's Wrigley Field. He was reached for four runs and six hits in three innings of a 10-5 setback against the Cubs to suffer the loss.
The veteran southpaw and two-time NL Cy Young Award winner is 0-2 in his last four trips to the rubber and owns a 2-3 record with a 4.85 earned run average in 12 starts this season. Glavine is 15-14 with six complete games and a 3.72 ERA in 36 career starts against Chicago.
Atlanta will try to put the brakes on a three-game losing streak tonight, and recover from Wednesday's sweep in a day-night doubleheader. The Braves suffered a 10-2 loss in the first game before Chicago posted a three-hit shutout to back an 8-0 triumph in the nightcap.
Braves starter Charlie Morton allowed four runs on four hits and four walks in 2 1/3 innings to suffer the loss in the first meeting. Jorge Campillo lost for the first time since July 7 in the second contest, allowing five runs on seven hits in five innings while striking out five and walking two batters.
Yunel Escobar had two of Atlanta's three hits and Martin Prado added the third in the shutout. The Braves are 0-2 on a seven-game homestand and fell to 33-27 away from Turner Field this season.
Meanwhile, the NL Central-leading Cubs remained 3 1/2 games ahead of the surging Milwaukee Brewers in the division standings thanks to Wednesday's sweep of the Braves. Jason Marquis earned the win and rookie Geovany Soto finished 3-for-5 with a two-run double and a two-run homer.
Cubs starting pitcher Rich Harden and four relievers then combined for a three-hit shutout under the lights, as Harden scattered just two hits over five innings of work. Chad Gaudin, Neal Cotts, Kerry Wood and Sean Marshall each tossed a scoreless inning to preserve the win.
Kosuke Fukudome and Aramis Ramirez each had two hits and drove in two runs, giving the Cubs their sixth win in seven games. Chicago is 2-0 on a six-game road trip and 28-30 away from Wrigley Field this season.
Cubs starter Ted Lilly will try to run his unbeaten streak to six games when he takes the ball this evening. Lilly is 2-0 over his last five starts, with the Cubs going 4-1 during that stretch.
Lilly last pitched on August 8 versus the St. Louis Cardinals and did not factor in the outcome of a 3-2 triumph. He allowed a pair of runs on seven hits through 7 1/3 innings of work.
The left-hander is 5-3 on the road this season and his last loss as the visitor came on June 4 against the San Diego Padres. Lilly will face Atlanta for the second time this season after beating the Braves on June 10 with 6 2/3 innings of three-run ball in a 10-5 victory. He is 2-2 with a 5.70 earned run average in six career meetings with the Braves.
Chicago swept a three-game series from the Braves in early June this season at Wrigley Field, and has won eight of the last 10 meetings in this series. The Cubs and Braves split six games in Dixie last season.
