The Atlanta Braves probably had this series circled for a while now. Seven months after their historic collapse at the hands of their division rivals, the Braves host the Philadelphia Phillies Tuesday night to start a three-game series at Turner Field.

It’s the same field the Braves watched in disbelief as they were swept by the Phillies in September, capping a 9-18 month that kept them out of the playoffs. Atlanta had a huge lead in the NL Wild Card to start the month, but allowed the surging St. Louis Cardinals to gain ground. They could have tied the Cardinals to force a one-game playoff, but lost six times to Philadelphia which sealed their fate. The Braves scored only 11 times in those six games.

They started sluggish again this year, going 0-4, but have now won 14 of 19 and are a half game out of first place in the division.

As for the defending champs in the East? Well, the Phillies aren’t exactly rolling.

“We’re close,” manager Charlie Manuel said. “Our pitching is there. We have to improve our defense mentally and our timely hitting.”

After a shaky series against the Cubs over the weekend, Cole Hamels gets the ball tonight. He’s 3-1 on the year with a 2.14 ERA. He’s won each of his last three starts, including a masterful 7-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. He retired 18 consecutive hitters at one point during that game.

He has 11 wins against the Braves since 2007, most against any team. He went 2-1 last season.

But Atlanta’s Brandon Beachy will be a tough oppontent, going 2-1 with a 1.05 ERA this year. He’s only allowed more than one run once this season.

Atlanta, though, hasn’t won in any of Beachy’s six starts against the Phillies.

The Braves are favored by 1 1/2 runs, according to Bovada with a -120 moneyline.