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Braves Go To Washington To Battle For First Place

By John Buhler

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The Atlanta Braves travel to the nation’s capital to take on the division rival Washington Nationals for a three game set this week.  Atlanta (35-35) sits just two games back of first place Washington (37-33) in a very winnable National League East.  Should the Braves sweep the Nats in DC, Atlanta could find itself in first place heading into the weekend.

-= Related: Matt Wisler: Closer Look At Braves’ Top Prospect =-

Alex Wood gets the start this evening for the Braves versus a Nationals’ pitcher TBD.  Wood (4-4, 3.40 ERA) has been decent but not great in his last three starts for Atlanta, going 0-2 with 4.15 ERA over that stretch.  However, Wood’s three previous starts to that stretch were sensational (3-0, 22 IP, 3 ER).  If Alex can limit the long ball (3 combined HR’s in his last two starts), I like Woody’s chances to beat a still unnamed Nationals starter.  Then again I don’t think this TBD guy has ever lost…

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    • Shelby Miller (5-3, 1.99 ERA) takes on Ryan Zimmermann (5-5, 3.75 ERA) Wednesday night.  It’s been alarming how little run support Shelby Miller has gotten in his last six starts.  Miller is winless since his near no-hit bid versus the Miami Marlins in South Beach, despite having a sub 2.00 ERA for almost the entire stretch.  Miller hasn’t won a game for the Braves since May 17th.

    It’s absurd that like clockwork when it’s Miller Time, the Braves bats seem to always fall asleep.  And it may continue Wednesday as Ryan Zimmermann tends to give Braves hitters all that they can handle in his starts.  Though his numbers aren’t as exceptional as they normally are for Zim, I believe that tomorrow’s game goes down to the wire in another great Braves-Nationals pitchers’ duel.

    In the series finale with the Washington Nationals Thursday afternoon, Matt Wisler (1-0, 1.13 ERA) makes his second career big league start versus Doug Fister (2-3, 4.80 ERA).  Wisler did what no Braves pitcher has done in his Major League debut since John Smoltz did it in 1988: go eight innings.

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    Though he was very impressive in his first start, replicating it Thursday afternoon might be a tall order for the 22-year old right hander.  But if Matt Wisler has command of all three of his pitches, I think he can definitely best Doug Fister at Nationals Park in the series finale.

    Atlanta needs to play focused baseball in DC if they want to sweep their nemesis at their place to end up in first.  That might be a challenge as “Every Day” Freddie Freeman is likely to go on the 15-Day Disabled List with a right wrist injury suffered over a week ago at Citi Field against the New York Mets June 14th.  Though the Braves haven’t officially moved Freeman to the DL, it’s expected that Joey Terdoslavich is the player Atlanta will recall from AAA Gwinnett.  It looks like either Johnson (Chris or Kelly) will start at first base in place of Freeman.

    Even with Freeman more than likely out for two weeks time, I think Atlanta can take two of three with the Nats and move into a first-place tie with an underperforming Washington ball club.  Or at least let’s hope so.  No Bryce Harper or Dan Uggla homers this week please, pitching staff!

    Next: Can The Braves Steal 100 Bases This Year?

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