Dodgers vs. Braves preview: Zack Greinke starts NLDS Game 2

The Dodgers will send Zack Greinke to the mound trying to take a commanding 2-0 series lead over the Braves on Friday afternoon at Turner Field in Atlanta.

The Dodgers have opened a postseason series on the road 19 times in their history and even with Thursday's win are just 5-14 in road Games 1. But after each of the previous opening road wins - 1963 World Series, 1974 NLCS, 1978 NLCS, 2008 NLCS - they also won Game 2 on the road, and the series.

The Dodgers have won seven consecutive division series games, dating back to 2008. The Braves have lost their last seven playoff series openers, but there is also this:

#Braves won Game 2 after losing Game 1 in each of their previous six playoff series.

— David O'Brien (@ajcbraves) October 4, 2013

Greinke looks to continue where Kershaw left off on Thursday, as the Braves managed just one run on five hits and three walks against three Dodgers pitchers in Game 1, and struck out 15 times. Greinke has been on fire for over two months, with just 19 total runs allowed over his final 16 starts.

The last time Greinke allowed more than two runs was July 25.

Mike Minor starts for the Braves and has lasted at least six innings in his last seven starts and in 29 of his last 30 starts. He didn't pitch that badly in September, with a 3.94 ERA with 28 strikeouts and eight walks in 32 innings, but the Braves lost all five of his starts thanks to 12 total runs scored during those games.

As might be expected between the teams with two lowest ERAs in MLB - Atlanta at 3.18, the Dodgers at 3.25 - Friday night should be a low-scoring affair.

Notes

• The flip side: Greinke has only made three playoff starts in his career, all in 2011 with the Brewers. He allowed at least four runs in all three games, and has a 6.48 ERA in 16⅔ innings.
• Friday is Minor's first postseason start.
• A.J. Ellis (2-for-4, two doubles) and Yasiel Puig (2-for-3, walk) became the 17th and 18th Dodger with at least two hits in their first career postseason game. The last was Blake DeWitt in Game 1 of the 2008 NLDS.
• Friday marks the 58th anniversary of Game 7 of the 1955 World Series, in which Johnny Podres pitched a shutout and Sandy Amoros made a game-saving catch in left field to lead the Dodgers to their first championship.

Game info

Time: 3:07 p.m.

TV: TBS

MLB Gameday