(Sports Network) - Fresh off his first victory since mid-May, Kansas City Royals ace Zack Greinke will head to the hill this evening to battle the National League East Division-leading Atlanta Braves in the second contest of a three-game set at Turner Field.
The recent victory over Cincinnati came exactly one month after his previous win, which was his first of the season. After winning the AL Cy Young award a year ago, Greinke has struggled this season.
However, against the Reds the Royals handed Greinke seven runs and that was more than enough for the hard-throwing right-hander, as he tossed nine innings and allowed just three runs, while striking out 12 batters.
It was also the first road win on the year for Greinke, who is just 1-5 in eight starts as the visitor on the season. If he wants to collect his second straight win he will have to do it against a Braves squad he has never faced in his career.
Atlanta, which has been one of the best teams in baseball over the past month, will turn to Kris Medlen, who spent time in the bullpen before making it into the rotation.
So far the right-hander has made the Braves happy with their choice to move him, as he comes into this game with three wins in his last four starts. Medlen's last start was his best of the season, as he held Minnesota to just three runs in eight innings. Medlen scattered four hits and collected five strike outs.
The California native, who is 1-0 on the road this season, has never faced the Royals in his young career.
Last night, Derek Lowe dealt 6 1/3 solid innings and helped his own cause with a pair of runs batted in to lead Atlanta past Kansas City, 6-4.
Chipper Jones drove in a pair of runs, and Melky Cabrera contributed three hits while scoring twice and knocking in one to lead the Braves to their third straight win.
Lowe (9-5) yielded three runs on six hits while walking two and fanning three to win his 150th career game. Billy Wagner worked a scoreless ninth to record his 13th save.
Brian Bannister (6-5) suffered the loss after surrendering five runs on seven hits over four frames. He walked three, fanned two and wound up on the wrong side of the ledge for a second straight start after five consecutive winning turns.
Billy Butler homered for the visitors, who have evenly split 10 games against the National League this season.
These two clubs are squaring off for the first time since 2004, when the Royals took two of three from June 15-17 at Turner Field.