21 August 2008
With another potential sweep in sight, the Braves will put their final hope for a win in Mike Hampton. The veteran left-hander will look to improve on his 2-1 record and show that he's capable of putting together a strong start against a more formidable offense than the San Francisco Giants. Hampton hasn't really looked terrible in any of his starts, but needs to consistently keep his pitches down in the zone to succeed against a decent offense.
Hampton's opponent will be Pedro Martinez, so you'll probably get a good look at both teams' training staff. Pedro's numbers have declined in almost every category this season. The 36-year old right-hander is 4-3 with a 4.96 ERA due to a dangerous combination of a rising walk rate and a declining strikeout rate. It may be a matchup for former All-Stars but if you like high scoring affairs, I'd tune in.
