Nationals at Braves
The Washington Nationals have been as hot as any team in baseball the past month, and they enter Friday’s contest at the Atlanta Braves with a ton of momentum after delivering a statement to the National League East leaders in Thursday’s opener of a critical four-game series. The Nationals pulled within 5 1/2 games of the Braves after smashing Atlanta 13-4 in the series opener, getting a 3-for-3 effort and five RBIs from starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg.
It was a dream beginning to the series for Washington, which improved to 31-13 since May 24 and banged out 16 hits in the opener, getting three hits and two runs scored from Anthony Rendon while Strasburg singled, homered and scored twice in an eight-run third inning en route while also striking out seven in 5 1/3 innings. Washington’s surge has been fueled by strong starting pitching, and in the past 13 games Nationals starters have pitched to a 1.98 ERA with 96 strikeouts and 17 walks in 82 innings. The Braves are 30-17 since May 24 but have lost three games in a row for the first time since May 28-31, being outscored 31-9 in those three defeats. Center fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. extended his on-base streak to 24 games with a first-inning single.
TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, MLB Network, MASN 2 (Washington), FS South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals LH Patrick Corbin (7-5, 3.39 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (5-6, 3.71)
Corbin has provided exactly what the Nationals hoped when they signed him to a six-year, $140-million deal in the offseason, entering the series fifth in the NL in strikeouts (139), seventh in WAR for pitchers (3.3) and ninth in ERA. The 29-year-old is 2-0 in his past five starts with 45 strikeouts in 34 innings, giving up only six runs with six walks in that span. Corbin, who struck out 10 in six innings against Philadelphia on Saturday after fanning 11 against Kansas City on July 7, is 5-1 with a 1.66 ERA in nine career games (seven starts) against Atlanta.
Teheran, who was pushed back from Thursday’s series opener to allow rookie Kyle Wright to slot into the rotation, has rebounded nicely from a shaky end to June with two strong starts this month, giving up two earned runs across 12 innings with 12 strikeouts in a pair of no-decisions. The 28-year-old struck out six and walked one while allowing three runs (two earned) in six innings Saturday in San Diego after concluding the first half with six scoreless innings and five hits surrendered July 5 against Miami. Teheran is 6-6 with a 4.13 ERA in 21 career starts against Washington.
WALK-OFFS
1. Braves C Brian McCann is 6-for-16 with three doubles during his current four-game hitting streak.
2. Washington CF Victor Robles has hit safely in 16 of his past 18 games, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs Thursday.
3. Atlanta CF Ender Inciarte, playing in his first game since May 14, went 0-for-4 Thursday.