Snakes Hunting a Sweep: D-backs Look to Bite the Braves in Atlanta

ATLANTA — The Arizona Diamondbacks didn't come all the way to Truist Park just to split the difference. They came to finish the job.

Sunday's series finale is a chance for Arizona to put a bow on a three-game sweep against the National League East-leading Braves. And with the D-backs already 4-2 against Atlanta this season, no one should be surprised if they leave Georgia with brooms raised.

The stakes

Arizona rolls in at 66-58, sitting second in the NL West and looking every bit like a team ready to make noise down the stretch. Their road record (30-31) might not scare anyone, but here's the kicker: when the Diamondbacks rack up eight or more hits, they're 47-24. That's a dangerous offense when it gets rolling.

Atlanta isn't exactly slumping though. The Braves hold the best home record in the division race, 41-23 at Truist, and are 73-50 overall. But they've been only .500 over their last 10, and they're suddenly in a position where they can't afford to get bullied in their own building.

Pitching matchup

Arizona hands the ball to Mike Soroka, who has been quietly excellent: 8-3 with a 2.92 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 83 Ks. If Soroka keeps the Braves off balance, Atlanta's offense could feel the squeeze.

Bryce Elder gets the nod for the Braves. His 4.03 ERA and 1.25 WHIP are solid, and he's racked up 108 strikeouts, but he'll need to be sharp against a lineup that's already got the season-series edge on Atlanta's arms.

Names to know

For Atlanta, Matt Olson has been a monster all season with 30 doubles and 35 homers, and Ronald Acuña Jr. has caught fire lately — 11-for-41 with four dingers and seven RBI in his last 10 games.

Arizona's Geraldo Perdomo is stuffing the stat sheet with 16 doubles, six triples and nine homers, while Nolan Arenado has been locked in, blasting five home runs in his last 10 games.

Trends

Last 10 games: The D-backs are 6-4 and outscoring opponents by 19 runs with a 2.67 ERA. The Braves are 5-5, +5 run differential and a 3.49 ERA. One team is trending up — and it isn't the one with home-field advantage.

Injury report

The Braves are banged up. Reynaldo López and Robert Suarez are on the IL, and their rotation is hurting without Spencer Strider and Spencer Schwellenbach, plus Joe Jiménez and Joey Wentz. That's serious depth lost.

Arizona's own injury list is lengthy — Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, A.J. Puk, Ketel Marte (day-to-day) and more — but the D-backs are somehow still getting it done. If they pull off the sweep, it'll be a statement that no list of names can hold them down.

First pitch is at 1:35 p.m. EDT. One team wants to keep the momentum. The other just wants to stop the bleeding. Something's gotta give.