Series preview: vs. Nationals
When (TV): 7:10 p.m. Monday – Thursday (SPSO).
Radio: 680, 93.7, 100.5
Probable starting pitchers:
- Monday: Braves RH Julio Teheran (1-0, 5.48 ERA) vs. RH Stephen Strasburg (1-4, 3.16)
- Tuesday: Braves RH Tim Hudson (2-1, 4.50) vs. LH Gio Gonzalez (2-1, 4.50)
- Wednesday: Braves LH Paul Maholm (3-2, 3.30) vs. RH Jordan Zimmermann (4-1, 2.00)
- Thursday: Braves RH Kris Medlen, (1-3, 3.26) vs. RH Dan Haren, (2-3, 6.29)
About the Braves:
- Batting: The Braves outscored the Nationals 18-5 during a three-game sweep in Washington which made the Braves 12-1 on the season. Since then they'd lost seven of 10 games entering Sunday night. They hit .222 while losing six of nine games on their recent road trip. Justin Upton leads the majors with 12 home runs, but 11 of them have been solo shots.
- Pitching: Teheran won for the second time in eight career major league starts Wednesday at Coors Field, holding the Rockies to one run in seven innings. He gave up eight hits but walked none and struck out three. He faced the Nats April 12, giving up four runs in six innings of a no-decision, including a Bryce Harper home run.
- Miscellaneous: Hudson takes his third shot at career win No. 200 after losing in Pittsburgh and taking a no-decision in a loss at Coors Field.
About the Nationals:
- Batting: Harper has set club records with nine home runs and 18 RBIs in April. He's got better protection now too after Jayson Werth was dropped to the cleanup spot to spark an otherwise dormant offense. Werth went 5-for-10 (.500) in his first three games there to help the Nats outscore Cincinnati 15-4. This was after the Nats had scored only four runs in three games of a sweep by the Cardinals.
- Pitching: Strasburg has lost his last four starts, the longest losing streak of his young career. He'd given up three runs in his first 23 pitches his last start vs. St. Louis. Most of his problems have been in the first inning – he has a 10.80 ERA and a .360 opponents' batting average in the first inning and a 1.85 ERA with a .186 opponents' average in the second through seventh innings.
- Miscellaneous: The Nationals have 22-year-old Anthony Rendon at third base while Ryan Zimmerman is on the disabled list with a hamstring injury. Rendon, a 2011 first-round pick who played only 43 minor league games last season because of a broken ankle, was 3-for-19 in his first six games. Catcher Wilson Ramos (hamstring) is eligible to come off the disabled list Monday.
- Carroll Rogers
