Washington @ Atlanta preview
Turner Field
Last Meeting ( Jun 1, 2013 ) Washington 1, Atlanta 2
The celebration after the Atlanta Braves' 10-inning victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday looked like something from October, not June. But both teams hope to have more about which to celebrate after the National League East rivals play the rubber match of their three-game series Sunday at Turner Field. The Braves walked off with a 2-1 win on the struggling B.J. Upton's game-winning hit Saturday, extending their division lead over Washington to 5 1/2 games.
Atlanta is looking to avoid its first series loss of the season at home, where the Braves are 17-7 and have outscored opponents 112-65. Washington has struggled on the road, going 13-17 to contribute to the defending division champions' slow start. The Braves snapped a three-game losing streak against the Nationals on Saturday and have won six of nine meetings this season.
TV: 1:35 p.m. ET, MASN (Washington), FSN South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Nathan Karns (0-0, 6.23 ERA) vs. Braves LH Paul Maholm (6-4, 3.74 )
Karns didn't get a decision in his major-league debut Tuesday against Baltimore, as he allowed three runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings. The 25-year-old walked two and struck out three while serving up a pair of home runs. Karns also went 0-for-1 at the plate with a sacrifice in his first start above the Double-A level.
Maholm failed to record a decision for the first time this year last time out. He was reached for five runs on 10 hits in six innings, but the Braves rallied to beat Toronto. Maholm is 2-7 with a 4.64 ERA in 12 career starts versus the Nationals, but he has allowed only two runs in 15 2/3 frames while splitting two meetings with them this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Braves have struck out 10 times in each of the first two games of the series and have hit double digits in strikeouts in 26 of their 55 contests.
2. The Nationals have yet to hit a home run in the series. Their streak of 74 consecutive series with at least one blast dates to a four-game set at Citi Field from Sept. 12-15, 2011, and is the longest active streak in the majors.
3. Atlanta's win Saturday was just its third this season in which it did not hit a home run.
PREDICTION: Braves 6, Nationals 4