Series preview: vs. Nationals
When (TV): 7:35 p.m. Friday (FSSO), 7:15 p.m. Saturday (Fox), 1:35 p.m. Sunday (FSSO)
Radio: 680, 93.7, 100.5
Probable starting pitchers:
Friday: Braves RH Julio Teheran (3-1, 3.67 ERA) vs. RH Stephen Strasburg (3-5, 2.49)
Saturday: Braves RH Tim Hudson (4-4, 5.37) vs. LH Gio Gonzalez (3-3, 3.90)
Sunday: Braves LH Paul Maholm (6-4, 3.74) vs. RH Vance Worley (1-4, 6.20)
About the Braves:
Batting: Freddie Freeman went 7-for-13 in the first three games against Toronto and has multi-hit games in six of his past eight games, while batting .382 (13-for-34). Since returning from the disabled list (oblique) April 26, he is hitting .306 with six doubles, a triple, two home runs and 23 RBIs in 31 games. The Braves don't have to face Jordan Zimmermann, the pitcher who shut them out on two hits in eight innings May 1. Entering Thursday, the Braves were 2-15 in games without a home run and 29-6 in games with a home run.
Pitching: The Braves have won both of Teheran's starts against the Nationals this season, including when he faced Strasburg on April 29. Neither Teheran or Strasburg figured into the decision after allowing two runs apiece, and the Braves won the game 3-2 after manufacturing a seventh-inning run. Teheran is 4-2 with a 2.23 ERA in his past six starts after giving up four or more runs in each of his first three starts, all no-decisions.
Miscellaneous: The Braves are 5-2 against the Nationals this season, including wins in each of their first five meetings. The teams split a four-game series at Turner Field earlier this month.
About the Nationals:
Batting: Third baseman Ryan Zimmerman hit three home runs Wednesday against Baltimore in a 9-6 loss. He doubled his home-run total of the season on one night. Adam LaRoche is hitting .327 (32-for-98) with four doubles, seven home runs and 19 RBIs in 28 games since a video session with former teammate Chipper Jones during his last visit to Atlanta. LaRoche was hitting .135 when he got to town in the midst of an 0-for-26 drought.
Pitching: Strasburg has given up only two runs in six innings in each of his starts against the Braves this season, but wasn't quite his dominating self. He's rounding into form now, giving up only three earned runs in 23 innings over his past three starts and winning two of them. He's coming off a 6-1 win over Cole Hamels and the Phillies, in which he gave up one earned run on five hits in eight innings, with no walks and a season-high nine strikeouts. Rookie Nathan Kearns was called up from Double-A to pitch Sunday in place of the injured Ross Detwiler (oblique).
Miscellaneous: Bryce Harper has been out of the lineup since aggravating a knee injury Sunday, but the Nationals hold out hope he can return Friday. Right fielder Jayson Werth is on the disabled list with a hamstring injury.
