SAN DIEGO (Interstat) — First baseman Ty France and catcher Drake Baldwin bring red-hot bats into the opener of a four-game series Monday, when the San Diego Padres visit the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park. First pitch is scheduled for 7:20 p.m. EDT under cloudy skies and 80-degree heat. The Padres enter at 49-50, while the Braves sit comfortably atop the National League East at 57-41. France has been the engine of San Diego’s offense during a volatile stretch. In Sunday’s 19-2 rout of the Kansas City Royals, he went 2-for-6 with two home runs and five RBIs. Over his last seven games, the infielder is batting .364 (8-for-22) with four homers and nine RBIs. The Padres have won three of their last four, though they remain five games under .500 and trail the Braves by 8 1/2 games in the standings. Baldwin, Atlanta’s catcher, delivered a perfect 5-for-5 performance Sunday in an 8-5 win over Texas, blasting two homers and driving in two runs. Over his past three games, he is 10-for-14 (.714) with three home runs and eight RBIs. The Braves have taken three of their last four. San Diego swept a three-game series from Atlanta in June, winning 5-2, 7-6 and 1-0 at Petco Park. The Braves have not beaten the Padres since the 2024 season. Both clubs are coming off lopsided wins Sunday. The Padres pounded 19 runs on 22 hits against the Royals, with Jackson Merrill (4-for-6, two homers, four RBIs) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (2-for-5, homer, four RBIs) joining France in the barrage. The Braves got a 5-for-5 day from Baldwin, while third baseman Austin Riley went 3-for-4 with two homers and four RBIs. Right-hander Grant Holmes earned the win, allowing three earned runs over five innings. Atlanta is listed as a -1.5 run-line favorite. The over/under is set at nine runs. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 5-4 Padres victory. The series continues Tuesday and Wednesday at Truist Park before San Diego heads to Miami and Atlanta travels to Baltimore.