Harang faces former club as Phils host Braves
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(SportsNetwork.com) - Aaron Harang will try to get his new team on track against his former ballclub on Friday night when the Philadelphia Phillies begin a three-game set with the Atlanta Braves.
The veteran Harang spent his 14th major league season last year with the Braves, going 12-12 with a 3.57 earned run average over 33 starts, the most he had made in a season since 2007. He is 2-3 with a 4.21 ERA in 11 career starts against Atlanta.
With the Phillies rebuilding and needing a veteran arm to eat up innings, they signed the 36-year-old to a one-year, $5 million contract this past offseason.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Harang has done just that, throwing a quality start in each of his first three outings while going 2-1 with a 1.96 ERA. He is coming off a 5-3 win over Washington on Saturday, with the righty yielding three runs on seven hits and two walks over six innings with six strikeouts.
He'll try to help Philadelphia avoid a third straight loss and will hope the defense can improve behind him. The Phillies made three errors that led to five unearned runs in Wednesday's 6-1 setback to the Miami Marlins, then committed another two miscues in dropping yesterday's finale of the three-game set 9-1.
"We have to tighten up the defense," said Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg. "We can't afford to make mistakes."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Philadelphia has lost nine of its past 11 games overall.
The Braves counter their former teammate with the 24-year-old Alex Wood, who after winning his season debut has posted a pair of no-decisions. That includes Saturday's outing versus Toronto in which he logged 6 2/3 innings while giving up three runs on nine hits and two walks. Wood did not strike out a batter either after having fanned seven in his previous outing.
The left-hander is 2-1 with a 2.57 ERA in nine games (4 starts) versus the Phillies.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Braves have lost six of their past eight, recently swept in a three-game series by the red-hot New York Mets. Atlanta saw its hurlers struggle with control in Thursday's 6-3 loss, with five pitchers combining for eight walks.
Starter Julio Teheran walked five over 4 1/3 innings. He walked the bases loaded in the first inning before yielding a three-run double and setting the tone for the afternoon.
"They have a pretty good combination going right now," said Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez of the Mets. "Their starters don't give up walks. They throw strikes. Their run differential is unbelievable."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Braves were 11-8 versus the Phillies last season, going 8-2 in Philadelphia.