Astros vs. Braves

A look at the best-of-5 National League division series between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves:

Schedule: (All times Pacific)

Game 1, Wednesday, at Atlanta (1:09 p.m., ESPN)

Game 2, Thursday, at Atlanta (1:09 p.m., ESPN)

Game 3, Saturday, at Houston (9 a.m., TV TBA)

Game 4, Sunday, at Houston (if necessary, TBA)

Game 5, Monday, at Atlanta (if necessary TBA)

Season series: Tied 3-3.

Projected lineups

Astros: LF Craig Biggio (.281, 24 HRs, 63 RBIs, 47 2Bs, 100 runs), CF Carlos Beltran (.267, 38, 104, 42 SBs for Kansas City and Houston), 1B Jeff Bagwell (.266, 27, 89), RF Lance Berkman, (.316, 30, 106, 127 BBs, 104 runs), 2B Jeff Kent (.289, 27, 107), 3B Morgan Ensberg (.275, 10, 66), SS Jose Vizcaino (.274, 3, 33), C Brad Ausmus (.248, 5, 31).

Braves: SS Rafael Furcal (.279, 14, 59, 29 SBs), 2B Marcus Giles (.311, 8, 48), RF J.D. Drew (.305, 31, 93), 3B Chipper Jones (.248, 30, 96), C Johnny Estrada (.314, 9, 76), CF Andruw Jones (.261, 29, 91), 1B Julio Franco (.309, 6, 57) or Adam LaRoche (.278, 13, 45), LF Eli Marrero (.320, 10, 40) or Charles Thomas (.288, 7, 31).

Projected rotations

Astros: RH Roger Clemens (18-4, 2.98 ERA, 218 Ks), RH Roy Oswalt (20-10, 3.49, 206 Ks), RH Brandon Backe (5-3, 4.30), RH Pete Munro (4-7, 5.15) or LH Carlos Hernandez (1-3, 6.43 in 9 starts).

Braves: RH Jaret Wright (15-8, 3.28 ERA, 159 Ks in 186 1/3 IP), RH John Thomson (14-8, 3.72), RH Russ Ortiz (15-9, 4.13, 23 HRs in 204 2/3 IP), LH Mike Hampton (13-9, 4.28).

Relievers

Astros: RH Brad Lidge (6-5, 1.90, 29/33 saves, 157 Ks in 94 2/3 IP), LH Mike Gallo (2-0, 4.74), RH Chad Qualls (4-0, 3.55), RH Dan Miceli (6-6, 3.59), RH Dan Wheeler (3-1, 4.29), RH Russ Springer (0-1, 2.63), RH Chad Harville (3-2, 4.75).

Braves: RH John Smoltz (0-1, 2.76, 44/49 saves, 85 Ks in 81 2/3 IP), RH Chris Reitsma (6-4, 4.07), RH Antonio Alfonseca (6-4, 2.57), RH Kevin Gryboski (3-2, 2.84), LH Tom Martin (0-2, 3.97), RH Juan Cruz (6-2, 2.75), RH Paul Byrd (8-7, 3.94).

Matchups

Braves beat Astros in all three previous playoff meetings, sweeping division series in 1997 and 2001, and winning 3-1 in ‘99. Bagwell and Biggio were combined 11-for-75 – all singles – with no RBIs in those losses. … Pitchers on both teams excelled in head-to-head matchups this year. Braves were held to .235 batting average – 35 points below season average. Astros hit only .244. … Biggio got his 2,500th hit against Atlanta on May 8 and led team with three HRs against Braves. … Kent is 17-for-33 against Thomson and has 14 career HRs against Atlanta. … One of Lidge’s four blown saves came against Atlanta. … Berkman hit .444 against Braves. … Ortiz had 2.63 ERA in two starts against Houston, allowing four runs in 13 2/3 innings. … Smoltz had two saves but 9.00 ERA in three innings. … LaRoche batted .353 with one HR. … Atlanta won its 13th straight division title despite budget cuts that cost the team Greg Maddux, Gary Sheffield, Javy Lopez and Vinny Castilla after last season.

– Associated Press