Los Angeles Dodgers entering a big “prove it” series in Atlanta

The Los Angeles Dodgers were unable to complete the season sweep over the Miami Marlins and now have a much tougher opponent down in Atlanta.

Although the 13-7 loss against the worst team in the National League might seem bad, the Los Angeles Dodgers still took five out of six against the Miami Marlins this season and scored seven or more runs in five of the six games.

To wrap up the team’s six-game East Coast road trip, the Dodgers flew down south to Atlanta, Georgia, where they will square off in a potential playoff preview against the Atlanta Braves. Not only is this a potential playoff preview, but it is a “prove it” series for both teams.

If you look at the National League standings then you will discover there is the Los Angeles Dodgers and then there is everybody else. The Braves are the second-best team in the NL but would be a wild-card team in the American League.

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The NL has fewer bad teams (five of the bottom six are American League), but they also seem to have fewer elite teams. So as it stands right now, the Braves look to be the Dodgers’ biggest competition for the Pennant, although a lot can change.

The Braves were swept by the Dodgers in LA earlier this year so this is a big prove it series for them as they look to prove that they can not only hang with the Dodgers but could potentially beat them in a seven-game series.

As for the Dodgers, this series could prove that they are still head and shoulders above the rest of the National League. Again, you cannot take any team for granted in October, but winning this series and taking at least five out of six against the NL’s next-best team would be quite the statement.

The first game does look to be a challenge for the Dodgers, though, as they are facing standout young arm, Mike Soroka. Going for the Dodgers is Kenta Maeda, who pitched a gem in his last outing, which also happened to be his first win since May.

As part of our Los Angeles Dodgers Beat the Streak series, this is who we think can get at least one base hit and get Maeda some run support.

Jason’s pick (Current streak: 1): Justin Turner

The Los Angeles Dodgers have no matchup numbers against Soroka as the only player on the Dodgers to ever have an at-bat against the young right-hander is Jedd Gyorko, who hasn’t even appeared for the Dodgers yet since being traded.

Thus in that regard, I am taking a shot in the dark of who to select and that shot in the dark is leading me to select Justin Turner.

Turner’s bat, at least in terms of slugging, is heating up as we are beginning to see his power stroke return to form. For most of the year, Turner was not hitting home runs at the clip that he previously was.

Turner has hit six home runs in his last 15 games, four of which came in his last seven games.

I do not need a home run to extend my streak but after going hitless on Thursday, Turner is practically guaranteed to get at least one base hit on Friday.