The Atlanta Braves have lost all of their once-massive NL Wild Card lead to the St. Louis Cardinals, and head into the final game of the season in search of a spark that could rescue them from a four-game losing streak and a miserable 8-17 September. But the Braves face the same quandary they did Monday and Tuesday nights: they must topple the mighty Phillies to claim an elusive win.
Fortunately for the Braves, who were handcuffed by Cliff Lee and Roy Oswalt in the first two games of their season-ending series in Atlanta, Philadelphia sends Joe Blanton to the mound tonight. Atlanta counters with Tim Hudson, who has earned three of the Braves' eight wins in September and has given up more than four earned runs — something Derek Lowe did in a mere four innings on Tuesday — just four times in 2011.
But the Braves have struggled against the NL leaders all season, compiling a 6-11 record against Philadelphia that includes zero wins since the All-Star break.
Game date, time: 7 p.m. ET, Wednesday, September 29, 2011
Location: Turner Field, Atlanta, Georgia
TV channel: ESPN2
For further reading, news, discussion and more, visit Phillies blog The Good Phight and Braves blog Talking Chop. Check out Baseball Nation's AL Wild Card race and NL Wild Card race StoryStreams from Tuesday for more.