Atlanta @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 27, 2013 ) Atlanta 2, Washington 11

Round one of what may believe will be a six-month slugfest for the National League East title unfolds in Washington on Friday when the Nationals host the Braves. Washington won the division crown last season, Atlanta landed one of the NL wild-card spots, and most experts believe the two teams will spend 2013 jostling for first place. The early days of the season have done nothing to dispel that belief. The Braves have won six in a row and bring the majors’ best record at 8-1. The Nationals sit at 7-2 and have won four of their past five.

Washington center fielder Bryce Harper and Atlanta left fielder Justin Upton are two of baseball’s leading outfielders heading into the weekend. Harper is hitting .417 and ended Thursday tied with San Francisco’s Angel Pagan for the NL lead in hits with 15. Upton is tied with Seattle’s Michael Morse for the majors’ home run lead with six, and leads the NL in OPS at 1.365.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network (nationwide), Fox Sports South (Atlanta), Mid-Atlantic Sports Network 2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Julio Teheran (0-0, 9.00 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Ross Detwiler (0-0, 0.00).

Teheran did not display the dominant form he showed throughout spring training, but the 22-year-old right-hander battled hard enough to keep Atlanta in Saturday’s game against the Cubs. Teheran gave up two homers in a five-run, eight-hit performance over five innings. His career ERA is actually better on the road (3.38) than at Turner Field (8.40).

Detwiler is quite familiar with Atlanta, making five starts against the Braves last season. Coming off a career-best 10-win season in 2012, Detwiler hit two batters but otherwise pitched six strong innings in his season debut Saturday at Cincinnati. Detwiler held the Reds to one unearned run on six hits in a hitter’s ballpark.

WALK-OFFS

1. Detwiler went 1-1 with a stellar 3.38 ERA in 29 1/3 innings against the Braves last year.

2. Atlanta rookie catcher Evan Gattis is hitting .391 with three homers, six RBIs and a 1.266 OPS.

3. The Nationals won the season series 10-8 in 2012.

PREDICTION: Nationals 4, Braves 2