Next for Braves – Lowe vs. Duke on Friday

Series preview: vs Pirates

When (TV): 7:35 p.m. Friday (WPCH); 7:10 p.m. Saturday (SPSO); 1:35 p.m. Sunday (FSSO)

Radio: 680 AM, 100.5 FM

Probable starting pitchers:

Friday: Braves RH Derek Lowe (6-4, 5.30 ERA) vs. LH Zach Duke (3-4, 4.47 ERA)

Saturday: Braves RH Kris Medlen (1-1, 2.57 ERA) vs. LH Brian Burres (2-2, 5.40 ERA)

Sunday: Braves RH Kenshin Kawakami (0-7, 4.93 ERA) vs. LH Paul Maholm (3-4, 3.98 ERA)

Friday’s matchup:

• Since his seven-run outing vs. the Phillies, Lowe has allowed three or fewer earned runs in his last three starts, including two in five innings of a 4-2 win over the Pirates on Saturday. He’s a perfect 8-0 in eight career starts against the Pirates with a 2.96 ERA.

• Duke helped the Pirates to their only win in last weekend’s series against the Braves in Pittsburgh by holding the Braves to one unearned run in seven innings. Jason Heyward, Brian McCann and Chipper Jones were out of the lineup though. Jones is 11-for-21 (.524) off Duke for his career.