**Padres at Braves**
--Most books have installed Bobby Cox’s team as a minus 165 ‘chalk’ with a total of 9 ½ ‘under’ (minus 115). The Braves are plus 120 on the run line (minus 1 ½ runs).
--Atlanta (17-15, -161) has won five in a row, including Wednesday’s 5-2 win over San Diego as a minus 165 favorite. The Braves hooked up run-line backers with a plus 125 payout (risking $100 paid $125). Tim Hudson worked seven strong innings for his fifth win of the season.
--Chipper Jones went 2-for-4 to improve his majors-best batting average to .429. Atlanta plated three runs in the seventh inning to break open a tie game. The win kept the Braves in a third-place tie with the Mets, 1 ½ games back of the NL East co-leaders, Florida and Philadelphia.
--San Diego (12-22, -1278) has been the team to fade (bet against) all year long, costing its backers nearly 13 units. The Padres have the worst record in baseball and are buried in the NL West cellar, trailing Arizona by double digits in the standings.
--The Braves are 13-4 at home, while the Padres are an abysmal 6-13 on the road.
--Jo-Jo Reyes (1-0, 1.69 ERA) will get his second start of the season since taking the place of John Smoltz in the rotation. With Mike Hampton still nowhere near returning and Smoltz destined for a return to the bullpen when he’s ready to come off the disabled list, Reyes has a chance to solidify a spot in the Braves rotation.
Wil Ledezma (0-0, 1.96) has made seven appearances this year, all in relief. This is the first time he’s faced Atlanta in his career.
San Diego has lost eight of its 10 games against left-handed starters.
--The ‘over’ is 12-7 for the Padres on the road.
--Get your bets in early on get-away day, as the first pitch at Turner Field will go at 1:10 p.m. Eastern.
**Brewers at Marlins**
--Most spots are listing Florida (19-14, +863) as the minus 110 favorite with the total at 9 ½ ‘under’ (minus 115). Gamblers can earn a huge return by backing the Marlins on the run line at plus 180).
--Fredi Gonzalez’s squad won its third straight game with last night’s 6-2 home win at an even-money price. Dan Uggla and Jorge Contu both homered, while Hanley Ramirez had a pair of hits, two runs scored and two walks. Burke Badenhop, who was a part of the trade with Detroit for Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera, picked up his first win as a Marlin.
--Milwaukee (16-17, +1) has lost five consecutive games. The Brewers fell to five games games back of division-leading St. Louis. They are sitting in fourth place in the NL Central.
--Mark Hendrickson (5-1, 3.71) has been one of the NL’s biggest surprises, emerging as Florida’s ace despite entering the 2008 campaign with a 43-55 career record.
--Carlos Villanueva (1-3, 5.56) will get the ball for the Brewers, who are 9-11 on the road this year. Villanueva is 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA in 10 1/3 lifetime innings against the Marlins.
--Ramirez is 2-for-5 (.400) of Villanueva with one homer.
--The ‘over’ is 15-8 for the Marlins in their home games. On the other hand, the ‘under’ is 11-10 in Milwaukee’s road games.
--The Brewers have an excellent 7-3 record against southpaws.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
--The Dodgers blew a chance to gain ground on NL West-leading Arizona yesterday. They lost at home to the Mets by 12-1 count, while the D-backs dropped a 5-4 decision to Philadelphia. Bob Melvin’s team remains three game in front of Joe Torre’s club.
--Arizona RHP Brandon Webb is 2-3 with a 3.99 ERA in eight lifetime starts against the Phillies. Chase Utley is 5-for-11 (.455) off Webb with one double and one homer. Ryan Howard is 3-for-8 (.385) off the righty with one double and one dinger.
--The ‘over’ is an MLB-best 26-12 for the Pirates, who play host to San Francisco in a business man’s special at 12:35 p.m. ET. today. The total is 7 ½ at most betting shops.
--The ‘under’ is an NL-best 19-15 overall for Atlanta.
