Brandon Beachy returns to Atlanta in opener vs. Braves

The Dodgers open a three-game series in Atlanta on Monday night against the Braves, sending someone to the mound who is intimately familiar with the ins and outs of Turner Field. Brandon Beachy makes his first start in Atlanta since Aug. 14, 2013, and his second start since returning from Tommy John surgery.

Beachy made 46 starts for the Braves from 2010-2013, and was 7-4 with a 3.35 ERA in 23 starts at Turner Field, with 140 strikeouts and 39 walks in 131⅔ innings.

Beachy told reporters over the weekend that his return to Atlanta was "just another game," per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register:

"By that I mean, it’s my second one in 23 months," Beachy said. "That’s how I have to look at it, right? It might be different had I been back and making starts for awhile. But I have to worry about getting some things locked down. I can’t be focused on anything else."

Making things easier for Beachy to downplay his return to Atlanta is the turnover there since he last pitched for the Braves. Only three players who took the field with him in his last game with the Braves (August 20, 2013) are still with the Braves – Andrelton Simmons, Freddie Freeman and Chris Johnson.

"The turnover there has been so complete there’s not going to be a lot of familiar faces that I might have to pitch to," Beachy said.

Beachy has a tough act to follow, with both Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke pitching eight scoreless innings with double-digit strikeouts in the last two games against the Nationals. The last time the Dodgers got three consecutive scoreless starts was Sept. 26-28, 2011, when Dana Eveland, Hiroki Kuroda and Ted Lilly turned the trick against Arizona.

The Dodgers have won their series in Atlanta in three of the last four years, though they were swept in three games in 2013. Dodgers starters haven't allowed more than three runs in a start in their last 12 games at Turner Field, dating back to 2011.

Matt Wisler gets the start for the Braves, his sixth major league start. The 22-year-old right-hander is 3-1 with a 3.10 ERA so far with 21 strikeouts and nine walks in 29 innings.

Old friend and National Baseball Hall of Famer Don Sutton was inducted on Monday into the Braves Hall of Fame.

Welcome to the Braves Hall of Fame, Don Sutton! pic.twitter.com/z4w5XtBPiA

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 20, 2015

Game info

Time: 4:10 p.m.

TV: SportsNet LA