Braves at Nationals
Bryce Harper remains one home run away from becoming one of the youngest players in baseball history to reach 100 career longballs, but the Washington right fielder did not win the National League MVP award as a 22-year-old last season just because of his power. Harper lifted the Nationals to a 2-1 victory over Atlanta on Tuesday with an eighth-inning bloop double, continuing Washington's mastery of the Braves entering Wednesday’s third contest of a four-game home series.
Harper is hitting .300 through the first six games of the season, already has three stolen bases (after recording just six all of last season) and has struck out only once in 20 at-bats. He is a big reason the Nationals are 5-1 and have won 12 straight home games and 18 of their last 23 overall against Atlanta. Tuesday’s loss dropped the Braves to 0-7 – matching the 1980 team for the second-worst start since the franchise moved to Atlanta in 1966. Atlanta third baseman Adonis Garcia recorded two hits on his 31st birthday Tuesday to raise his average to .348, but first baseman Freddie Freeman is one of several Braves struggling, going 0-for-3 to drop his average to .095.
TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, FSN South (Atlanta), MASN2 (Washington)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Matt Wisler (0-0, 5.40 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Stephen Strasburg (1-0, 1.50)
Wisler walked one and struck out six in his season debut Friday against St. Louis, but gave up four runs on seven hits in a game Atlanta lost after Wisler left following 6 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old makes his sixth career start against Washington in his 16th major-league appearance, going 2-2 with a 5.40 ERA against the Nationals last season. Wisler struggled away from home as a rookie in 2015, going 3-5 with a 6.75 ERA in 11 road games (10 starts).
Due to a postponement and off days, Strasburg has not pitched since beating the Braves in his season debut on April 6 in Atlanta. The 27-year-old held Atlanta to one run on six hits in a 3-1 victory, improving to 7-7 in 20 career starts against the Braves in his career. Strasburg has been outstanding at home since making his major-league debut in 2010, going 27-17 in 70 home starts with a 2.65 ERA and a 6.46 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
WALK-OFFS
1. Harper can become the eighth-youngest player to 100 homers if he belts one in the next five days; he hit his 100th career double Sunday.
2. Atlanta has scored 22 runs in seven games; five have come in the fifth inning or later.
3. Washington closer Jonathan Papelbon was given Tuesday off after saving the Nationals’ first four victories; Felipe Rivero recorded his third career save.