Series preview: At Washington Nationals
When (TV): 7:05 p.m. Monday (SPSO), 7:05 p.m. Tuesday (SPSO), 4:05 p.m. Wednesday (SPSO)
Radio: 680, 93.7, 106.7
Probable starting pitchers
Monday: Braves LH Mike Minor (6-9, 4.65 ERA) vs. RH Doug Fister (12-6, 2.66)
Tuesday: Braves RH Ervin Santana (14-7, 3.61) vs. RH Jordan Zimmermann (10-5, 2.93)
Wednesday: Braves RH Aaron Harang (10-10, 3.87 ERA) vs. RH Stephen Strasburg (11-10, 3.43 ERA)
About the Braves
Batting: The Braves have been shut out four times in the past eight games, batting 1-for-25 with runners in scoring position in those shutouts, including 0-for-7 in a 4-0 loss to the Marlins on Sunday. Freddie Freeman is batting .481 (25-for-52) with six doubles, four home runs and eight RBIs in 13 games against the Nationals this season. Jason Heyward, on the other hand, is batting just .146 (7-for-48) with three doubles and five RBIs in 13 games against the Nationals this season.
Pitching: Minor is 2-2 with a 2.52 ERA and a .183 opponents' batting average over his past five starts, including taking a no-hitter into the eighth against the Reds on Aug. 22. He turned his season around after going 2-3 with a 7.33 ERA over his previous 10 starts. He's had quality starts in four of his past five starts against the Nationals – the lone exception was the Braves' wild 8-7 loss in 15 innings on Aug. 17, 2013 when neither Minor nor Strasburg made it out of the second inning. Minor walked four in 1 2/3 innings in that game.
Miscellaneous: The Braves trail the Nationals by seven games in the East but lead the season series 9-4 and have won eight of the past 11 series dating back to August 22, 2012. They lost one series and tied two four-game series.
About the Nationals
Batting: Former Brave Adam LaRoche homered twice off Cole Hamels on Sunday to give him four home runs (and 10 RBIs) in his past four games and 11 home runs since the All-Star break. His 23 homers on the season has him topping the 20-homer mark nine times in the past 10 years. Bryce Harper is hitting .313 (15-for-48) with five home runs in his past 12 games. He has nine home runs since the All-Star break.
Pitching: Fister is 2-0 with a 1.80 ERA in two career starts against the Braves, including eight shutout innings on June 21 in a 3-0 win in Washington. Fister has lost his last three starts, though, while allowing 27 hits and 13 runs (11 earned) in 16 2/3 innings. The Nationals have gone to closer-by-committee after Rafael Soriano, the former Brave, blew a three-run lead Friday in Philadelphia. He gave up two home runs in that game and has seen his ERA since the All-Star break balloon to 6.98, compared to 0.97 ERA before the break. Soriano has been scored upon seven of his previous 12 appearances.
Miscellaneous: Since winning 12 of 13, including a 10-game winning streak, the Nationals have lost two of their previous four series, with both series losses coming against the Phillies.
- Carroll Rogers
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