The Atlanta Braves have dropped and split a series on the road since the All Star Break and now return home this weekend for a new series with the St. Louis Cardinals. St. Louis is coming off a sweep of Philadelphia and a four game winning streak 7-3 Last 10 overall. The Red Birds are 25 games above 500 and are primed to deal Atlanta some major headaches during this series. The biggest headache in game one will be St. Louis's Adam Wainright. Wainright is 13-5 2.44 ERA and seeking a National League leading 14 victories tonight while preserving an eight game road winning streak. Wainright has won all three career starts at Turner Field posting a 2.57 ERA but tonight will be the first appearance since 2010. Atlanta's Mike Minor is 9-5 2.98 ERA overall on the season but has posted a 9.21 ERA in two career starts vs. St Louis. Minor has the discipline to go into the late innings and will have to be sharp early and often tonight if Atlanta hopes to improve to 5-5 Last 10. Matt Holliday, Jordan Schafer and BJ Upton some of the bigger names on the 15 DL for both teams. Atlanta will look foward to be back at Turner Field where they Braves have a 31-15 Home Record for the first time since the All Star Break. St. Louis however is playing very well right now in addition to a 30-20 Road Record. Atlanta will have to capitalize on every scoring opportunity against a very tough Wainright. Minor will have to eliminate the HR ball that has plagued him in the last few starts. Jason Heyward is finally back also after injury seeing playing time in the previous series and tonight will be Heyward's first home game since returning to action. Heyward could provide a game changing play like earlier this week or a key hit in a crucial situation. Weather has been a serious issue most of the summer in the Southeast with the heavy rains and hopefully tonight's 7:30 PM EST start time will get underway on schedule. Source: ESPN MLB Preview.
