Winners of seven straight and now just one game out of a playoff spot, the Braves continue their homestand through the weekend as they play host to the Pittsburgh Pirates for a four-game set.
At 24-30, the Pirates are not exactly surprising anyone, but they’ve been a wee bit better than expected. Perhaps the most surprising part of their season is going 5-1 against the Dodgers, including a three-game sweep in L.A., but they’ve also won two of three against the Diamondbacks and Rockies, while taking three of four from the Nationals in April. They had won two straight series before being swept by the Tigers in a brief two-game set earlier this week.