San Diego at Atlanta

Atlanta needed a six-run eighth to shake free of San Diego last night, winning 7-6 to take a 2-1 edge in this four-game set. San Diego goes to a bullpen day today, opening with Kyle Hart before Griffin Canning takes over for the bulk innings, and neither arm gives the Padres much. Hart is running a 10.80 ERA over his last six appearances this month, and Canning is 1-8 with a 6.67 ERA, having failed to finish the fifth inning in any of his last five starts while bleeding 13 runs across 17.1 innings in that stretch. Chris Sale takes the ball for Atlanta, looking to close out the series, and it’s a different conversation. Sale carries a 2.06 ERA, among the best marks in the National League, into his 19th start, and he hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last two outings, the most recent a complete scoreless trip through Texas last Friday. Atlanta’s bullpen has been one of the better relief groups in baseball all year, and the Braves’ offense faces two shaky arms instead of one this afternoon. I make the Braves the play, and we cash if Sale looks anything like himself out there.