Braves at Nationals
THE STORY: Washington will try to continue the Atlanta Braves' trip
down the road to collapse by sending overpowering young pitcher Stephen
Strasburg to the mound in the first game of a three-game series at
Nationals Park on Friday. The Braves have lost six of 10 and have seen
their lead in the National League wild card race dwindle to two games
over the Cardinals. Following a four-game sweep over Philadelphia,
Washington has won five straight, eight out of 10 and begins the weekend
only three games below .500. The Nationals have been tough on the
Braves this season as Atlanta only leads the season series 8-7.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta), MASN (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Tim Hudson (15-10, 3.19 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (0-0, 1.29).
Hudson
had a nice bounce-back game in his last start with eight innings of
shutout ball against the Mets. Hudson allowed only four hits and struck
out a season-high nine batters. He has been especially tough against
Washington over his career, posting a 13-3 record and 1.95 ERA in 22
starts. This season, he is 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA in four starts against
the Nationals and beat them Sept. 1 when he allowed one run over six
innings. Strasburg has been limited only by the number of pitches the
organization allows him to throw, a maximum of 61 so far. Otherwise,
he’s as sharp as he was before having to undergo Tommy John surgery a
year ago. In three starts since his return, Strasburg has allowed only
nine hits and two runs in 14 innings. He has recorded 11 strikeouts and
has yet to allow a walk or a home run. He lost his only start to the
Braves last year.
ABOUT THE BRAVES (88-68): Shortstop Alex
Gonzalez is expected back in the lineup after missing the last game
with a strained right calf. Gonzalez, who is batting .467 over his last
eight games, left Tuesday’s game early after coming up lame while
running the bases. Martin Prado’s bat is starting to come around - he
has hit in nine straight games and is 12-for-38 (.316) over that
stretch. The bullpen trio of Eric O’Flaherty, Jonny Venters and Craig
Kimbrel did not pitch in the last two games of the Florida series. With
an off day on Thursday they should be ready to go for the final six
crucial games.
ABOUT THE NATIONALS (76-79): Danny Espinosa
isn’t likely to win National League Rookie of the Year honors - Kimbrel
is the heavy favorite, but he has a set a club rookie record with 21
home runs. Seven of those homers have come against the Phillies. Ivan
Rodriguez, who has played only 41 games this season because of injuries,
is expected to start one game against the Braves and one game in the
final series with Florida. Jayson Werth is expected to return this
weekend - a bruise on his right elbow kept him out of games on Wednesday
and Thursday.
FINAL PITCH: Atlanta starter Jair Jurrjens,
out with a sore right knee since August, threw a 50-pitch bullpen
session Wednesday and is scheduled to do it again Friday in Florida. He
isn’t expected to be cleared to pitch again unless the Braves reach the
National League Championship Series.