Division-leaders Giants, Braves open weekend series

National League division leaders, one with more at stake than the other, go head-to-head Friday night when the Atlanta Braves and host San Francisco Giants open a three-game series.

Atlanta (76-68) will kick off the series with a three-game lead in the NL East over second-place Philadelphia (74-72), an advantage that shrunk by a half-game Thursday night as the Braves were flying across the country while the Phillies were