Braves chase Phillies in NL East

The Philadelphia Phillies are the favorites at Oddsmaker to take the NL Pennant this season, but their biggest competition for that title looks like it'll come from another NL East club, the Atlanta Braves. The Braves continue their series against the Rockies in Colorado on Wednesday night (8:40pm ET).

Atlanta is slated to send Tim Hudson (9-6, 3.44 ERA) to the mound on Wednesday night, and he'll be able to draw on his start against the Rockies on July 7 for inspiration. The righthander went 7 1-3 innings at home in that contest, picking up the victory after surrendering three runs on five hits.

Righthander Hudson has given up three or fewer runs in each of his past seven starts, with Atlanta going 5-2 in those contests.

Hudson's opponent on Wednesday will be Rockies righthander Juan Nicasio (4-2, 4.24 ERA). Nicasio was Hudson's opposition on July 7 as well, getting tagged with the loss after allowing five runs on seven hits in just 2 1-3 innings of work. The righthander, though, bounced back against the Brewers last time out, holding them scoreless on four hits over seven innings of work in a victory.

While the Braves are tangling with the Rockies on Wednesday the Phillies will be in Chicago closing out their series with a matinee matchup against the Cubs (2:20pm ET).

Vance Worley (5-1, 2.15 ERA) toes the rubber for Philadelphia on Wednesday afternoon, and he's managed to pitch his team to five consecutive wins over the Mariners, Athletics, Red Sox, Marlins, and Mets. Through those five contests righthander Worley allowed just three runs over 30 1-3 innings of work.

The Cubs send Ryan Dempster (7-6, 4.68 ERA) to the hill on Wednesday, with Chicago going 8-2 in his last 10 starts. Against the Marlins last time out righthander Dempster allowed just four hits and fanned nine batters over eight shutout innings.

And while the Phillies are off on Thursday the Braves will be finishing up their series in Denver (3:10pm ET) with Tommy Hanson (10-5, 2.73 ERA) taking on the Rockies' Jhoulys Chacin (8-7, 3.37 ERA).

Righthander Hanson dazzled the Rockies on July 4, holding them to one run on four hits over seven innings of work while striking out six batters. Hanson faced the Nationals in his most recent start, allowing five runs in 5 1-3 innings in a loss; Atlanta had been 6-0 in his past six outings.

Chacin pitched against the Braves on July 5, getting tagged with a loss after giving up four runs on four hits in five innings of work. Colorado is 0-4 in the righthander's last four trips to the mound.

Atlanta sits at +600 on the Oddsmaker NL Pennant betting board, with Philadelphia as the -200 favorite on that list as they hold down first place in the NL East division.