Heavy-hitting Braves go for another win in Cincy

Aug 21, 2007, 15:40 GMT

- Mark Teixeira seems to be fitting in just fine with the Atlanta Braves and will lead them this evening in the second installment of a four-game series against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.

Teixeira led the Braves to a 14-4 pounding of the Reds in Monday's series opener, belting a pair of three-run homers and going deep twice for the second straight game. The first baseman is batting .294 with nine homers and 25 RBI in 18 games since joining the Braves from Texas before the July 31 trade deadline.

Andruw Jones added a two-run homer last night for the Braves, who have won two in a row since a three-game losing streak.

Atlanta starter Tim Hudson got the win with six innings of work, allowing three runs on seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts. Hudson is 9-0 in his last 11 starts and became the first NL pitcher to reach the 15-win mark this season.

Atlanta, which began a 10-game trek to Cincinnati, St. Louis and Florida on Monday, sits five games behind the New York Mets in the NL East and one game off San Diego's lead in the wild card standings.

Braves rookie pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes is expected to be called up from Triple-A Richmond to start Tuesday's game in place of Chuck James, who is nursing an inflamed left shoulder.

Reyes is 0-1 with an 8.72 earned run average in five starts this season. His only decision this year came against Cincinnati on July 17, when he gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 6-5 loss.

Pitching for the Reds on Tuesday will be Bobby Livingston, who is 3-3 with a 4.70 ERA in nine starts this season.

Livingston is just 1-3 in his last six starts and last pitched on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs, yielding five runs and 11 hits over five innings of a 12-4 setback at Wrigley Field.

The young lefty squared off with Atlanta for the first time in his career on July 16 and recorded the win. Livingston held the Braves to a pair of runs and eight hits in five innings during a 10-3 triumph.

In Monday's loss for the Reds, Jeff Keppinger had three hits and scored three runs to lead the way. Cincinnati starter Phil Dumatrait was tagged for eight runs on seven hits in just two innings, while walking two without a strikeout.

Cincinnati, which is a half-game out of the basement in the NL Central, swept a three-game series in Atlanta from July 16-18 of this season. The Braves, however, are 12-9 in the last 21 matchups with the Reds.

© 2007 The Sports Network