AP Sports Preview

ATLANTA (Interstat) — The Detroit Tigers visit the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday at Truist Park in Sandy Springs, Ga., with first pitch set for 7:20 p.m. The forecast calls for 70-degree temperatures and cloudy skies.

Detroit (15-14) will start right-hander Casey Mize (2-1, 3.86 ERA). Atlanta (20-9) is expected to counter with left-hander Chris Sale, who has been dominant in his last three outings, allowing one earned run over 19 innings with 22 strikeouts.

Spencer Torkelson enters the game on a remarkable power surge. The Tigers first baseman homered in five consecutive games from April 22-26, including a three-hit, two-RBI performance Sunday in an 8-3 win at Cincinnati. Torkelson is batting .300 with six home runs over his last 10 games.

For Atlanta, first baseman Matt Olson and outfielder Eli White each drove in three runs in Sunday’s 6-2 victory over Philadelphia. Sale worked six scoreless innings against the Phillies, allowing one hit and striking out nine.

The Braves have won 11 of their last 14 games and hold a five-game lead in the NL East. Detroit has split its last 10 contests.

Betting lines list Detroit as a 1.5-run favorite, with an over/under of 8.5 runs. The Interstat game simulator projects a 7-5 Braves victory.

Following Tuesday’s series opener, the teams meet again Wednesday and Thursday. Detroit then returns home for a six-game homestand against Texas and Boston. Atlanta travels to Colorado for a three-game series starting Friday.