Sportsbook.ag MLB ESPN Wednesday

NEW YORK YANKEES (36-25) at ATLANTA BRAVES (34-28)

Sportsbook.ag Line & Total: Atlanta -108 & 8.5 over -115

The Yankees will aim to complete a three-game sweep over the Braves on Wednesday as interleague play continues.

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New York has won five games in a row, giving up a paltry 2.2 runs per game during that streak. Wednesday's starter Hiroki Kuroda began that streak and has a 3.46 ERA on the season, which includes a tiny 0.82 ERA in his past three outings. In this 22-inning span, he has allowed just three walks and 12 hits for an outstanding 0.68 WHIP. Kuroda has a 1-4 record versus the Braves in his career, but sports an extremely impressive 2.10 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in these five starts. Atlanta will counter with right-hander Tim Hudson, who has a solid 3.83 ERA this season, but that mark jumps to 5.92 at home. He's coming off his best start of the season, a five-hit shutout against the Marlins, but struggled mightily in his two prior starts, with an atrocious 8.76 ERA.

At 5-0, the Yankees have yet to lose to an NL East opponent yet this season. In addition to being hot, Kuroda is supported by an elite bullpen in this game with his relievers sporting a 2.75 ERA on the season, having achieved 17 saves while blowing only three. With wins in eight of their past nine games (outscoring opponents 46-20), it seems difficult to play against these surging Yanks.

Hudson also has a 2-4 career record versus the Bronx Bombers, but carries a solid 3.39 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in these 12 starts against them. Hudson does not have the same luxury of an elite bullpen though. The Braves relievers have registered a 3.88 mark so far in 2012, a mark that spikes to 5.24 at Turner Field. The bullpen has a 5.06 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in June. Hudson is usually pretty good at working deep into games however, with nearly seven innings per start this season. He's also done an outstanding job keeping the ball in the park, allowing just one home run in his 54 innings this season, which occurred May 4 in the Colorado thin air. To win on Wednesday, he just has to look like the Hudson of his last three road starts (23.2 IP, 1 ER) as opposed to the one from his previous two home starts (12.1 IP, 12 ER).