Braves at Nationals
Anthony Rendon will be one of the top targets on the free-agent market this winter, but the Washington Nationals' third baseman hopes to make what might be his final season in the nation’s capital with a bang entering the middle contest of a three-game home series against the Atlanta Braves. Rendon blasted a go-ahead grand slam in the sixth inning of Monday’s series-opening 6-3 victory that pulled the Nationals within 4 1/2 games of Atlanta in the National League East standings.
The Nationals improved to 38-18 since May 24 - the best record in the majors since that date - and moved one-half game ahead of Chicago and St. Louis for the top NL wild-card spot as Rendon finished 2-for-5 in the series opener and is batting .370 with three homers and 20 RBIs in his past 19 games. Atlanta lost its second game in a row and dropped to 2-2 on its six-game road trip through Washington and Philadelphia - the second- and third-place teams in the NL East. Third baseman Josh Donaldson collected his 1,000th career hit on an infield single in the sixth inning. First baseman Freddie Freeman went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, but Atlanta pitchers walked a season-high 10 hitters in the series opener.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Atlanta), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Julio Teheran (5-7, 3.42 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Erick Fedde (1-1, 3.40)
Teheran shook off an inconsistent April and has been brilliant in 15 starts since May 5, pitching to a 2.49 ERA while allowing two earned runs or fewer in 13 of those outings with a 2.49 ERA and a .203 batting average against in that span. The Braves are 11-4 in those starts, but their defense let down the 28-year-old in a 2-0 loss Wednesday to Kansas City, as Teheran gave up two unearned runs on four hits with six strikeouts in six innings. Teheran, who has a 1.14 ERA in four starts this month, allowed one run on four hits with no walks and five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings on July 19 against the Nationals and owns a 6-6 record with a 4.02 ERA against Washington.
With staff ace Max Scherzer placed on the injured list Monday with a mild rhomboid strain, Washington recalled Fedde from Double-A Harrisburg to make his ninth start and 14th appearance of the season. The 26-year-old had yet to pitch for Harrisburg after making two starts after the All-Star break for the Nationals, giving up a combined two runs on eight hits in 10 innings against Baltimore on July 17 and Colorado on July 24. Fedde, who is 1-1 with a 3.40 ERA and 1.39 WHIP in his eight big-league starts, has held right-handed hitters to a .191 average this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta OF Ronald Acuna Jr. finished 0-for-4 Monday, snapping his consecutive on-base streak at 32 games.
2. Nationals C Yan Gomes drew a career-high four walks Monday; he drew five walks in his previous 11 contests.
3. Washington 1B Howie Kendrick has two hits in each of the last two games, breaking a 1-for-24 slump in his previous nine contests.