Atlanta Braves (89-64, first in the NL East) vs. Houston Astros (77-76, first in the AL West)
Houston; Friday, 8:10 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Braves: Tyler Mahle (6-10, 3.91 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 127 strikeouts); Astros: Peter Lambert (8-9, 3.71 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 141 strikeouts)
LINE: Braves -121, Astros -101; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Houston Astros host the Atlanta Braves to open a three-game series.
Houston is 77-76 overall and 39-39 in home games. The Astros are third in MLB play with 206 total home runs, averaging 1.3 per game.
Atlanta has an 89-64 record overall and a 38-37 record in road games. The Braves have hit 192 total home runs to rank seventh in MLB play.
The matchup Friday is the first meeting this season between the two clubs.
TOP PERFORMERS: Yordan Alvarez leads the Astros with a .311 batting average, and has 31 doubles, a triple, 40 home runs, 103 walks and 99 RBIs. Jeremy Pena is 13 for 40 with three home runs and five RBIs over the past 10 games.
Matt Olson leads the Braves with 72 extra base hits (33 doubles and 39 home runs). Ronald Acuna Jr. is 11 for 41 with three doubles, two home runs and four RBIs over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Astros: 4-6, .237 batting average, 4.39 ERA, outscored by 13 runs
Braves: 4-6, .235 batting average, 4.65 ERA, outscored by nine runs
INJURIES: Astros: Steven Okert: 15-Day IL (hamstring), Mike Burrows: 60-Day IL (elbow), Brice Matthews: 60-Day IL (knee), Carlos Correa: 60-Day IL (ankle), Brandon Walter: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Braves: Spencer Strider: 60-Day IL (elbow), Robert Suarez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Reynaldo Lopez: 15-Day IL (right shoulder), Lane Thomas: 10-Day IL (side), Bryce Elder: 15-Day IL (knee), Joe Jimenez: 60-Day IL (knee), Spencer Schwellenbach: 60-Day IL (elbow), Joey Wentz: 60-Day IL (knee)
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
