Atlanta @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 5, 2013 ) Atlanta 3, Washington 2

Jayson Werth’s hitting has been one of few recent bright spots for the struggling Washington Nationals, who hope their right fielder returns to action at home Tuesday against Atlanta after missing Monday’s series opener with a groin injury. Werth has reached base in 14 consecutive games and earned National League Player of the Month honors for July after leading the NL in on-base percentage (.450) while hitting seven homers. The Nationals have otherwise struggled since the All-Star break, going 6-11 to fall 13 1/2 games behind the Braves in the NL East.

Julio Teheran, who has pitched 131 innings during his breakout season after totaling 137 1/3 innings last season between the minors and majors, starts the middle game of the series for Atlanta. The Braves have won 11 games in a row, their longest winning streak since a 15-game streak in 2000, and rallied for their 36th comeback victory of the season in Monday’s 3-2 triumph. Outfielder Justin Upton, who homered 12 times in April but totaled just four in the next three months, has hit four homers in five games this month.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, MLB Network, SportSouth (Atlanta), MASN (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Julio Teheran (8-5, 3.02 ERA) vs. Nationals LH Gio Gonzalez (7-4, 3.57)

Teheran started August by tying his career high in strikeouts, fanning 11 Rockies in five innings and earning the victory last Thursday. The right-hander has struck out seven or more hitters five times in his past 11 outings, reaching double digits three times. The 22-year-old is 0-1 against the Nationals in three starts this season with a 4.50 ERA.

Gonzalez won his final four starts before the All-Star break, but is 0-1 with a 7.80 ERA since. Most of the damage came in his last outing Wednesday at Detroit, when the left-hander allowed 10 runs on 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings. He is 0-2 with a 7.31 ERA in three appearances against the Braves this season, giving up 13 earned runs in 16 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Atlanta leads the season series 8-3, outscoring the Nationals 43-22.

2. Washington OF Bryce Harper is hitless in his last 11 at-bats after hitting .387 with three homers in his previous eight games.

3. The Braves have spent 126 days in first place and started Monday with the largest division lead on Aug. 4 since the 2005 Chicago White Sox led the AL Central by 14 games, according to STATS Inc.

PREDICTION: Braves 4, Nationals 3