The Braves have dropped five of their last six contests and will try to rediscover their groove at home Friday night in their first of three games against the Dodgers. Also, Jason Hewyard should make his first start after he was placed on the disabled list April 23. Paul Maholm takes on Hyun-Jin Ryu at 7:30.

The Atlanta Braves announced Thursday that reliever Jonny Venters has undergone a second major elbow operation and will miss the rest of the season

The Top 30 reasons Steak loves Atlanta:

Arizona used a four-run fifth inning Wednesday to rough up Tim Hudson and the Braves, defeating Atlanta 5-3 and taking the series two games to one. Hudson allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings of work

Steak says it's Time to Step Up:Ten Atlanta Sports Figurers that need to Step Upwww.790thezone.comAll Right Boys, Time to Bring It

After defeating Arizona with 10 runs on Monday, Atlanta's bats were silenced on Tuesday, managing just four hits and no runs in a 2-0 loss to the Diamondbacks. Arizona starter Patrick Corbin allowed just three hits in seven innings of work and joined Randy Johnson as the only left-handers in Diamondbacks history to win their first six starts.

The Braves are 6-0 in 2013 when Julio Teheran makes the start and they will look to make it 7-0 Tuesday night in Arizona when they take on the Diamondbacks. First pitch is scheduled for 9:40. Teheran takes on Arizona's Patrick Corbin.

Bell's Sports Blog:

Top basketball prospect and Toronto native Andrew Wiggins signed a letter-of-intent to play his college basketball at Kansas on Tuesday. The Huntington Prep star averaged 23.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game this season. What ye say: One and done? Future top overall pick? How good?

Stan should be the Man:should be the Manwww.790thezone.comQuite simply, landing Stan Van Gundy would be the best thing to happen to Hawks basketball since they traded for one Dominique Wilkins in 1982.

Justin Upton returned to Arizona Monday night as the enemy for the first time in his major league career and led Atlanta to a drought-snapping 10-1 victory over the Diamondbacks. Upton finished the night with four hits and a homer.

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Official Release - Falcons sign CB Lee, K Shelley:

Arch tees off in the closest to the pin contest

Wes Durham hits one in the closest to the pin contest

Gerald Riggs on from the River Club.

Matt Ryan on the patio at the River Club for the Verizon Golf Tournament with Arch, Bell, and John

Mike Smith joins Arch, Bell and John Michaels from the River Club!

Thomas DeCoud, one of many on The Zone Monday afternoon for the Verizon Network of Champions Golf Classic:

After calling Arizona home for his first six seasons, Justin Upton is set to play his first game there as a visitor Monday night (9:40), when the Braves take on the Diamondbacks and attempt to snap a three-game losing skid. Mike Minor gets the start for Atlanta, Wade Miley for 'Zona.

Defending Champion San Francisco defeated Atlanta 5-1 on Sunday afternoon, taking three of four games from the Braves while winning each contest by four or more runs. Atlanta's Kris Medlen got the start and gave up eight hits and five runs in just over five innings of work.

Tim Hudson is 6-0 with a 2.25 ERA over his last 10 starts against the Giants. Does his dominance continue Friday night?

The Braves will try to get their fifth win in six games Friday night when they take on the defending champion Giants in San Francisco at 10:15. Huddy gets the start for Atlanta, Matt Cain for San Fran.

Brian McCann hit a two-run homer and an RBI single in his third game back from injury, helping the Braves beat San Francisco 6-3 on Thursday night. Atlanta, winners of four of its last five, still has three more games left in its four-game set with the Giants.

The Braves look to grab their fourth win in five games Thursday when they travel to San Francisco to begin a four-game series with the defending champion Giants. Julio Teheran gets the start for Atlanta, his first since April 29. Ryan Vogelsong takes the mound for San Fran.

Official Release: The Atlanta Falcons announced today that they have waived kicker Casey Barth and cornerback Momo Thomas:

Check out Mike Bell's latest 'Notes from cocktail napkins":

Everyone in Atlanta has an opinion on Hawks forward Josh Smith...here's Steak's:

The Braves became the first road team this season to take a series from the Reds, as Atlanta went to Cincinnati Wednesday afternoon and grabbed a 7-2 win in Game 3. Mike Minor went 7 strong innings, Dan Uggla contributed two homers.

Atlanta's Craig Kimbrel was one strike away from closing out the Reds Tuesday night before giving up back-to-back homers and the win, as Cincinnati took home the 5-4 victory. Kimbrel is only one save away from No. 100 for his career, and blew a save last Friday as well when he gave up his first homer of the season against the Mets.

Atlanta's Andrelton Simmons is 5-for-9 with two doubles, two homers and four RBIs in the last two games, and he and the Braves look to make it three wins in a row Tuesday night when they take on the Reds. Speaking of Simmons, he has yet to make an error in 126 chances this season. Kris Medlen gets the start tonight, Homer Bailey does the same for Cincy.

Braves SS Andrelton Simmons homered twice and drove in a career-high four runs Monday night, leading Atlanta to a 7-4 victory that put an end to Cincinnati's three-game winning streak.

Paul Maholm and the Braves take center stage Monday night at 7:10 when they open a three-game series in Cincinnati against the Reds on ESPN. Bronson Arroyo gets the start for Cincy.

The home team has won every game in Atlanta's series with Indiana, and the Hawks will try to keep it that way tonight at 7:00 when they battle the Pacers in a must-win Game 6.

The Braves will try to get their bats going again Friday night at Turner, when Atlanta begins its three-game weekend series with the New York Mets. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30. Mike Minor takes on Shaun Marcum.

For the second night in a row, a Nationals pitcher befuddled Braves hitters, this time it was Dan Haren pitching eight innings and allowing just one run in Washington's 3-1 win over Atlanta Thursday. The Braves managed to get only three runners in scoring position over two nights.

Atlanta's nine-game win streak over Washington came to an end Wednesday when the team managed just two hits in a 2-0 loss, but the Braves can still win the series tonight with a win over the Nationals. Game 4 starts at 7:10. Medlen v. Haren.

Sitting down with LSU head coach Les Miles:

Sitting down with TexasA&M head coach Kevin Sumlin:

SEC Network Announcement/Ceremony:

Live from the SEC Network Announcement/Ceremony:

In keeping with the series theme (the home team has won every game), the Hawks were uncompetitive away from home Wednesday night, getting routed by the Pacers in Game 5, 106-83. David West scored 24 points for Indiana while Paul George recorded another double-double. For Atlanta, Al Horford led the way with 14 points and nine rebounds. The teams return to Atlanta for Game 6 on Friday, with tipoff scheduled for 7.

Atlanta had won nine consecutive contests against Washington, but starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann was brilliant Wednesday and led the Nationals to a 2-0 win over the Braves. Zimmermann allowed just two hits over eight innings.

Washington starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann has allowed more than two runs in just one of five starts made this season (he allowed three to Miami). The Braves have scored two runs or less in only one of 17 wins this year. Who wins out tonight, Zimmermann or the Braves?

The team that wins Game 5 takes the series more than 83% of the time, a stat the Hawks will remember when they take on the Pacers Wednesday night at 8:00. The home team has won all four games in the series.

The Braves can get their 10th-consecutive win over Washington and sweep the current series when they take on the Nationals Wednesday night at 7:10. Paul Maholm gets the start for Atlanta, Jordan Zimmermann for Washington.

The Braves made it nine in a row over Washington Tuesday night, grabbing a big 8-1 win against the Nationals at home. Starter Tim Hudson allowed just three hits and one run in seven innings, and helped his own cause with fight-inning homer. SS Andrelton Simmons contributed a long ball as well.

Your hometown Braves have won eight straight over Eastern division rival Washington and will look to make it nine in a row Tuesday night when they take on the Nationals at 7:10 (AP Photo). Tim Hudson takes the mound for Atlanta, while Gio Gonzalez does the same for Washington.

The Atlanta Hawks tied their series with Indiana up at 2-2 on Monday night, grabbing a 102-91 win over the Pacers in Game 4. The home team has won all four contests. Josh Smith led all scorers with 29 points, and contributed 11 rebounds as well.

Atlanta ended its four-game losing streak Monday, getting the best of Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals in a 3-2 ballgame. Jordan Walden got the win for the Braves.