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ATL@PHI: Minor mows down five over seven solid frames

The Padres make their only trip to Atlanta this week, beginning a four-game series with the Braves on Monday night. San Diego had its six-game winning streak, which had been the second longest current streak in the Major Leagues, snapped Sunday in an 11-5 loss to the Pirates.

While the Padres have been playing well, the Braves are in the midst of a hot stretch of their own. They had won 12 of their last 15 games until falling to the Mets on Sunday night.

For Atlanta, which holds the top of two spots in the National League Wild Card race, such a hot streak is expected. The Padres, however, have been one of baseball's second-half surprises. San Diego went 34-53 (.391) in the first half. Since the All-Star break however, the Padres are 17-12 (.586).

Third baseman Chase Headley said the Padres have overcome some injury problems they had earlier in the season to piece together a good team.

"I think there's a lot of pieces in place right now," Headley said. "We're a good team, we're playing really good. I think we're a lot better than the record shows."

Monday's game will feature a matchup between left-handers Eric Stults and Mike Minor. Stults has bounced back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen this season and will be making his sixth start of the year for San Diego.

Minor lost his last start, 3-0, Tuesday to the Phillies. It ended a stretch of five starts where he had a 1.74 ERA and limited opponents to a .170 batting average. He again fell victim to the long ball, giving up all three runs on a homer -- his 23rd allowed this season. But Minor said he also struggled with his command.

"I just tried to battle," Minor said. "I went 2-0 on a lot of guys. Leadoff batters were on base it seemed like every inning. I walked two guys, but it seemed like I walked a lot more because I was behind all night."

Minor will look to get back on track against the Padres, whom he has faced only once in his three-year career.

Braves: Jones nearing career hit No. 2,700
• Third baseman Chipper Jones continues to move up career leaderboards in his final season, and enters Monday five hits shy of his 2,700th career hit.

• Over his last 46 games (since June 20), first baseman Freddie Freeman is batting .327 (54-for-165) with 34 runs, 14 doubles, seven homers and 38 RBIs.

• Outfielder Jason Heyward has 19 home runs and 15 stolen bases this season. If Heyward can reach 20 homers and 20 steals, he would become just the 21st player in Braves franchise history to accomplish that feat and the first since outfielder Andruw Jones did it in 2000 (36 homers, 21 stolen bases).

Padres: Streak over, Headley still hot
• While Headley's seven-game hitting streak ended in the Padres' 11-5 loss to the Pirates on Sunday, he has hit the ball well of late. Headley is hitting .339 with six home runs and 20 RBIs in his last 15 games.

Overall this season, Headley is leading the Padres with a .275 batting average and 18 home runs.

• Right-hander Luke Gregerson comes to Atlanta with a 16 1/3 scoreless-innings streak. He hasn't allowed a run in his last 16 appearances, dating back to July 4. Gregerson has thrown 52 2/3 innings and has a 2.56 ERA this season.

• Shortstop Everth Cabrera is a perfect 19-for-19 in stolen-base attempts this season, the longest streak of successful attempts to start a season in franchise history. The previous mark of 12 was set by Enzo Hernandez (1974), Rickey Henderson (1997) and Mike Cameron (2006).

Worth noting
• Padres outfielder Carlos Quentin saw his five-game hitting streak snapped Sunday. Quentin has two doubles, two home runs, five RBIs and four runs scored over his last six games.

• After losing their first 12 games on Mondays this season, the Braves have won on back-to-back Mondays. The Padres are 6-7 on Mondays this year.

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