SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. (Interstat) — The Atlanta Braves host the Boston Red Sox on Friday night at Truist Park, with first pitch scheduled for 7:20 p.m. under clear skies and 66-degree temperatures.

Atlanta (30-14) enters as one of baseball’s top teams, while Boston (18-25) has struggled to find consistency. The Braves have won seven of their last 10, including a series victory over the Chicago Cubs. The Red Sox dropped two of three to the Philadelphia Phillies, capped by a 3-1 loss Thursday.

Left-hander Chris Sale is expected to start for Atlanta. Over his last five outings, Sale owns a 0.58 ERA across 33 innings, striking out 42 batters. His lone loss came Thursday against the Cubs (6 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 8 K), a game in which he received no run support.

Left-hander Ranger Suarez is slated for Boston. Suarez has allowed only three earned runs over his past three starts (17.1 IP), though the Red Sox have lost four of his last five outings. His two best performances — an 8-inning shutout against Toronto on April 27 and an 8-inning gem against Detroit on April 17 — resulted in wins.

Interstat’s simulator projects a 7-5 Atlanta victory. The Braves are -1.5 favorites, with an over/under of 8.5 runs. Interstat’s ELO model gives Atlanta a 58.5 percent win probability.

The series continues Saturday and Sunday before both teams travel. Boston visits Kansas City for three games starting Monday, while Atlanta heads to Miami for a four-game set. The Red Sox and Braves will meet again May 26-27 in Boston.