Braves’ Chris Sale faces the Giants looking to secure his 11th win and an All-Star spot

Atlanta pitcher Chris Sale could all but secure a spot on the All-Star Game roster on Wednesday night as the Braves attempt to even their series against the visiting San Francisco Giants.

The Giants hit three home runs on Tuesday and won the opening game of the three-game series 5-3.

The experienced left-hander Sale (10-3, 2.79 ERA) is tied with Ranger Suarez of Philadelphia for the most wins in the National League and ranks seventh in strikeouts in the major leagues. On Wednesday he will face right-hander Jordan Hicks (4-4, 3.36) of San Francisco.

Sale posted a season-high 11 strikeouts in seven innings in his final game on Thursday against the Chicago White Sox, but he lost after allowing a solo home run to Luis Robert Jr. in the first inning of a 1-0 loss.

“It’s not too often that a solo home run in the first inning decides a game, but it does happen,” Sale said. “We just have to keep going and do our thing. It’s not early yet, but we still know what we have to do, and we just have to keep playing good baseball and not be too depressed when things aren’t going well and not be too optimistic when things are going well.”

Sale has played two games against the Giants in his career, posting a 1-0 record with a 1.93 ERA. Both games were in 2014.

Hicks has been a consistent force since returning to the starting lineup this season, his first with the Giants, pitching more than five innings in 13 of his 17 starts. However, Hicks has lost his last three games and hasn’t won since May 19.

In his last game on Thursday against the Chicago Cubs, he was unable to get a decision, allowing three runs on five hits, two walks and seven strikeouts in five innings. The Cubs won 5-3 in 10 innings.

Hicks has already thrown 85 2/3 innings, the best of his career and the most since his rookie season in 2018, when he pitched 77 2/3 innings as a bullpen for the St. Louis Cardinals.

“He’s staying in top shape,” said San Francisco manager Bob Melvin. “Obviously there will be periods where the speed drops and some of his breaks aren’t as crisp. I don’t know if that’s the case now, but they’ve made him work pretty hard the last few games.”

Hicks will make his first career start against the Braves. He has made nine relief appearances against them with little success, posting a 6.75 ERA with one save. In his only appearance against the Braves in 2023, he allowed two runs in two innings in an 8-4 loss while pitching for the St. Louis Cardinals.

Both teams made changes to their rosters to start the series. San Francisco brought in outfielder Mike Yastrzemski on Tuesday, and he hit 2 for 2. He had been on the injured list since June 21 with a strained left oblique muscle. The Braves brought in left-handed reliever AJ Minter, who had been out since May 30 with a strained left hip, but did not use him in the opener.

Atlanta will likely be without shortstop Orlando Arcia, who missed Tuesday’s game because of a tooth abscess, and outfielder Ramon Laureano, who is out with a back problem. Pitching coach Rick Kranitz is absent due to family reasons.

–Field level media