Nationals at Braves
The Atlanta Braves knew entering their four-game home weekend series with the Washington Nationals that they could all but seal their second consecutive National League East title, and entering Saturday’s third game they have put a stranglehold on the division while suffocating their closest contender. The Braves won their second straight game in the series and eighth in a row overall Friday, a 4-3 victory that pushed Atlanta’s division lead to nine games over the Nationals.
Washington entered the series winners of 21 of its previous 30 games, and in that span the Nationals had averaged 6.9 runs on 10.3 hits per game. So far in the two games the Washington offense has consisted of a Victor Robles two-run homer in the ninth inning Thursday and a Ryan Zimmerman three-run blast Friday, as Atlanta pitching has limited the Nationals to five runs on 12 hits through 18 innings. Atlanta second baseman Ozzie Albies led the charge offensively Friday, recording his 39th double of the season before adding his 20th homer. Third baseman Josh Donaldson later belted the eventual game-winning shot, a two-run homer in the seventh to give him 35 homers on the season – giving him 27 in his past 76 games – and he added two walks to give him 90 bases on balls this season.
TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), FS South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Austin Voth (1-0, 3.91 ERA) vs. Braves RH Julio Teheran (9-8, 3.38)
Voth gets the call for his fifth start (sixth appearance) of the season after right-hander Joe Ross experienced right forearm pain during a bullpen session. The 27-year-old went 1-0 with a 4.35 ERA in four starts before going on the injured list in July with right shoulder tendinitis before allowing two hits in 2 1/3 scoreless relief innings with four strikeouts Monday against the New York Mets. Voth, who gave up two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts in six innings against Atlanta in his first start of the season June 23, likely will be followed by right-hander Erick Fedde.
Teheran has been solid since early May and especially since the All-Star break, going 4-2 in 10 starts with a 2.70 ERA. The 28-year-old won for the third time in his past four decisions Sunday against the Chicago White Sox, giving up two runs on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts in six innings - six days after holding Colorado to three hits across six scoreless innings. Teheran is 1-0 in two starts against Washington this season, giving up three runs on 11 hits with 11 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Washington LF Juan Soto, who entered the series hitting .422 in his previous 11 games, is 1-for-7 in the series with five strikeouts.
2. Atlanta OF Austin Riley was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett earlier Friday and finished 0-for-3 with a strikeout.
3. The Braves have won 12 games in a row at home, the longest home winning streak for the franchise since 2000.