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Tuesday, August 27, 2002

Compiled by Robert Dvorchak

The series: Atlanta Braves vs. Pirates, three games at PNC Park.

The times: 7:05 p.m. tonight and tomorrow, 12:35 p.m. Thursday.

TV, radio: Tonight and tomorrow on Fox Sports Net; all games on KDKA-AM (1020) and the Pirates Radio Network.

Probable starters: RHP Josh Fogg (11-9), RHP Brian Meadows (1-3) and RHP Bronson Arroyo (1-1) for the Pirates; RHP Kevin Millwood (13-6), RHP Greg Maddux (11-5) and LHP Tom Glavine (16-7) for the Braves.

About the Pirates: Have won three in a row and are 6-3 in their past nine games. Their nine wins this August are the most in the month since 1999. ... Have homered in six consecutive games, one below their season high. ... Barring a strike, will play the Braves six times in the next nine days. ... Brian Giles has 100 walks and has been walked 90 or more times in each of his four seasons with the Pirates. He is hitting .234 in August. ... Aramis Ramirez hit .174 on the previous road trip but is hitting .282 in his past 78 at-bats. ... Jack Wilson, due back today from a neck injury, is hitless in his past 16 at-bats. ... Adam Hyzdu is hitting .173 with 17 RBIs in his past 30 at-bats. ... Josh Fogg has lost his past two decisions and has not won at home since July 3. His 11 wins are the most by a Pirates rookie since Kris Benson had 11 in 1999. ... Against Millwood, Jason Kendall is a .333 hitter. Kevin Young is .188 with one home run and four RBIs. ... Against Maddux, Giles is 6 for 13 and Kendall is 10 for 27. ... Against Glavine, Abraham Nunez is 7 for 11.

About the Braves: Swept the Pirates in three games at PNC Park last year and were 5-1 overall against them. ... Have the second-best record in the major leagues behind the Diamondbacks. They are 38-25 on the road and 21-9 against Central Division teams this year. ... Maddux has one win in five August starts despite yielding more than three earned runs only once. With 11 wins, he is trying to join Cy Young as the only pitchers to win at least 15 games in 15 consecutive years. ... Against Meadows, Gary Sheffield is hitless in 13 at-bats. ... Chipper Jones is 8 for 14 with three home runs and six RBIs against Meadows. ... Against Arroyo, Andruw Jones is 4 for 7 with one home run.

On deck: The Pirates are away for a three-game series with the Marlins. The Braves travel to Montreal for three games.

NASHVILLE (70-65) won, 2-1, at Memphis. Starter Matt Guerrier (7-2) allowed one run and three hits in seven innings with eight strikeouts. Duaner Sanchez picked up his sixth save. 1B Chris Pritchett had an RBI on a sacrifice fly. CF Tike Redman had three hits.

ALTOONA (68-65) split a doubleheader at Harrisburg. In a 4-1 loss in the opener, Brad Guy (2-2) allowed three runs in four innings. LF Tony Alvarez had two hits. In a 13-6 win in the nightcap, starter Justin Reid (11-7) allowed five runs and four hits in five innings. RF J.J. Davis hit his 19th home run, drove in three runs and scored three times.

LYNCHBURG (82-50) lost, 1-0, at Potomac. Mike Bumitay (5-2) lost in relief of Sean Burnett, who allowed two hits in eight innings with four strikeouts. CF Chris Duffy had two of his team's four hits.

HICKORY (78-53) won, 6-1, at Lakewood. Carlos De Los Santos (4-2) won in relief of Ian Oquendo, who allowed one run and five hits in five innings with eight strikeouts. DH Chris Shelton hit his 17th home run and drove in three runs. 1B Walter Young had a two-run double.

WILLIAMSPORT (40-26) lost, 6-0, at Brooklyn. Starter Nicholas Gravelle (6-4) allowed six runs and eight hits in four innings with six strikeouts. LF Anthony Bocchino had two of the club's four hits.

BRADENTON (37-23) lost, 10-6, vs. the Twins. John Hummel (0-1) lost in relief of Brian Holliday, who allowed five runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. C Milver Reyes had two hits and two RBIs. 1B Tim Brown had two RBIs.