Atlanta's D-Lowe Poised for L.A. Return

Atlanta Braves ace Derek Lowe is set to oppose his former mates on Thursday in Los Angeles as the Braves open a four-game set against the NL West leading Dodgers.  Lowe spent the previous four seasons with the Dodgers before opting to sign with Atlanta as a free agent this past winter.  He is currently 11-7 on the year with a 4.21 ERA for the Braves.

In his last start in Atlanta, which was also against his former team, Lowe pitched six innings allowing three runs on five hits.  In 66 career starts at Dodgers Stadium, Lowe is 33-23 with a 3.21 ERA.

As Atlanta waits for the challenge of facing the mighty Dodgers, they can savor their series win against the Padres, which was capped with a 6-2 victory Wednesday afternoon.

Rookie Tommy Hanson continued to make a strong case for Rookie of the Year honors with another solid outing in the Braves win.

Hanson allowed two runs on five hits in six innings with five strikeouts.  The 22-year-old rookie improved to 6-2 on the year.

The Braves hope to end their west coast swing on a high note by putting forth their best effort against the Dodgers.

If Atlanta can win the series, their chances of playing October baseball become that much greater.