SEATTLE (Interstat) – The Atlanta Braves, owners of the best record in the majors, send right-hander Bryce Elder to the mound Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners and right-hander George Kirby at T-Mobile Park. Atlanta (25-10) has won four straight games, including Sunday’s 11-6 victory at Colorado. The Braves’ offense has been powered by catcher Jonah Heim, who is 4 for 8 with a home run and six RBIs over his past two games. Heim homered and drove in five runs Sunday and added an RBI in Saturday’s 8-6 win. Seattle (16-19) has lost five of its past six, including a 4-1 defeat to Kansas City on Sunday. The Mariners have scored three runs or fewer in five of those six games. Elder (3-1) has been solid for Atlanta, allowing three earned runs or fewer in four of his five starts this season. Kirby (4-2) counters for Seattle after a rough stretch. He allowed four earned runs in six innings in Sunday’s loss to Kansas City. Kirby has given up 13 earned runs over his past three starts covering 16 innings. Seattle’s Luis Castillo, a key arm out of the bullpen, has struggled recently. Over his past five outings, Castillo has allowed 21 earned runs in 24 2/3 innings, including four earned runs in six innings Sunday. The series opened Monday with a scoreless tie that was called early due to rain. Atlanta’s upcoming schedule includes a three-game series at Los Angeles starting Friday, followed by a six-game homestand against the Chicago Cubs and Boston Red Sox. Seattle travels to Chicago for three games against the White Sox starting Friday, then heads to Houston for a four-game series. The game simulator projects an 8-5 Braves victory. Seattle is a minus-1.5 favorite, with the over/under set at 7.5 runs.