Washington @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2010 ) Washington 6, Atlanta 2
Facing the narrowest of margins for error in seeking their first postseason berth since 2005, the Atlanta Braves should be happy to welcome a last-place team to town.
But the cellar-dwelling team that is visiting Atlanta for a three-game series has been anything but a pushover for the Braves.
The Braves have split 12 meetings this season with the Washington Nationals, who they'll face six times in their 18 remaining games as they try to stay in the playoff picture.
Atlanta trails the Philadelphia Phillies by one game in the NL East and leads the race for the wild card by one game over the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres, who are tied atop the NL West.
After splitting a four-game series with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Braves boast a major league-best 51-21 home record. Atlanta is 4-2 at home against Washington, but Monday's starter, veteran right-hander Derek Lowe, was on the losing end of both Nationals victories.
After missing a start because of elbow soreness, Lowe (12-12, 4.42 ERA) bounced back with a solid outing at Pittsburgh on Wednesday. He held the Pirates to one run and eight hits over six innings in a 9-3 victory to earn his first win since Aug. 8.
If Lowe is going to post a second consecutive quality start for the first time since June 24, he'll have to do it against a team that has given him plenty of problems. The 37-year-old is 6-7 with a 4.12 ERA in 21 appearances (15 starts) against the Nationals.
Washington shortstop Ian Desmond is 5-for-8 with two homers against Lowe. Desmond has hit .353 with three homers and seven RBIs in 11 games against the Braves this year.
If the Nationals are poised to play spoiler this week - they head to Philadelphia for three games when they're done in Atlanta - they haven't shown it lately.
Washington lost the last five games of its six-game homestand, including a three-game sweep at the hands of the Florida Marlins. The Nationals have been punchless at the plate, scoring only 10 runs during the five-game losing streak.
The lack of offense helped spoil the major league debut of rookie Yuneski Maya on Tuesday. Maya (0-1, 7.20 ERA) allowed four runs and five hits over five innings in a 4-1 loss to the Mets.
The 29-year-old right-hander will try again to pick up his first big league win on Monday.
Maya will face a Braves lineup that has been anchored recently by rookie outfielder Jason Heyward, who is riding a 10-game hitting streak. In his last 22 games, Heyward is 38-for-87 (.437) with five homers and 15 RBIs.
The Braves have also gotten a boost from outfielder Nate McLouth, who is 8-for-21 (.381) with a homer and seven RBIs since being recalled from a stint in the minors. Not to be outdone, first baseman Derrek Lee is 9-for-24 (.375) with a homer and five RBIs over his last eight games.