The Atlanta Braves welcome the Milwaukee Brewers to Truist Park on Friday, June 19, for a 7:15 PM ET first pitch in what shapes up as a pivotal regular-season matchup. Atlanta sends veteran left-hander Martín Pérez to the hill against Milwaukee's hard-throwing righty Jacob Misiorowski. With the Braves looking to protect home turf and build momentum heading into the weekend, this one carries real weight in the NL standings race. Catch the action on BravesVision or locally on 680 AM/93.7 FM The Fan.

Pitching Matchup: Martín Pérez vs. Jacob Misiorowski

Martín Pérez gets the ball for Atlanta, and the veteran southpaw knows exactly what this ballpark demands. Pérez has made a career of working to contact, keeping hitters off-balance with his plus changeup and the ability to generate weak ground balls. On a warm June night in Cumberland, that ground-ball approach could be critical against a Milwaukee lineup that features dangerous middle-of-the-order bats capable of doing damage in the gaps.

On the other side, the Braves will see Jacob Misiorowski, one of the more electric young arms in the Brewers organization. Misiorowski possesses a triple-digit fastball and a sharp breaking ball that can make him look unhittable on his best nights. The key for Atlanta is patience — work the count, don't expand the zone early, and make him throw strikes. If the Braves can get Misiorowski into the third and fourth times through the order, the at-bats get a lot more interesting.

Atlanta Braves Starting Lineup

• 1. Drake Baldwin (C)
• 2. Ozzie Albies (2B)
• 3. Matt Olson (1B)
• 4. Dominic Smith (DH)
• 5. Mauricio Dubón (CF)
• 6. Austin Riley (3B)
• 7. Mike Yastrzemski (RF)
• 8. Eli White (LF)
• 9. Jorge Mateo (SS)

Keys to Watch for the Braves

Matt Olson and Austin Riley Setting the Tone

Olson hitting third and Riley in the six-hole gives Atlanta a balanced look with legitimate power on both sides. Misiorowski's high-velocity stuff can overwhelm hitters who are late on pitches, so look for both Olson and Riley to have done their homework on his release point. Any early damage from this pair could chase Misiorowski before he finds his rhythm.

Drake Baldwin Leading Off

Seeing Baldwin atop the order is a notable lineup construction decision. The catcher in the one-hole is unconventional, but if Baldwin can get on base and manufacture something early, it puts immediate pressure on Misiorowski and sets the table for Albies and Olson.

Pérez Keeping Milwaukee Off the Bases

The Brewers are a disciplined offensive club that rarely beats itself. Pérez needs to work efficiently, keep his pitch count manageable through five or six innings, and leave the Atlanta bullpen in a position to close it out. If he can do that, the Braves have the lineup depth to win a close game.

Prediction

This is a winnable Friday night game at home, and Truist Park should be rocking. Pérez delivers a quality five-inning outing, the Braves offense does enough damage against Misiorowski in the middle innings, and Atlanta takes the series opener. Braves 4, Brewers 2.