Atlanta @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 21, 2016 ) Washington 6, Atlanta 7

The Washington Nationals hope a return home helps awaken their offense as they kick off a 10-game stretch at Nationals Park on Monday with the opener of a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves. Washington began a six-game road trip with four straight victories before suffering back-to-back losses to the Mets in New York, scoring one run in each setback while crossing the plate more than four times just once in its last 10 contests.

Danny Espinosa drove in the lone run Sunday as he matched his career high with his 21st home run for the Nationals, who still own an 8 1/2-game lead over the Mets in the National League East. Espinosa, who also hit 21 homers in 2011, ended a nine-game drought by going deep for the first time since Aug. 24 against Baltimore. Atlanta, which owns the worst record in the NL at 54-83, is riding a season high-tying six-game winning streak after sweeping San Diego at home and Philadelphia on the road. Freddie Freeman enters Monday with on-base and hitting streaks of 26 and 11 games, respectively, while Ender Inciarte has hit safely in 15 consecutive contests.

TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Atlanta), MASN2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Ryan Weber (1-0, 5.24 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Max Scherzer (15-7, 2.89)

Weber will be making his first start of the season as he fills in for the injured Matt Wisler after appearing 12 times out of the bullpen. The 26-year-old Floridian's longest relief stint lasted 3 2/3 innings, a mark he reached when he notched the victory in his season debut April 19 against the Los Angeles Dodgers and matched Aug. 20 versus Washington. Weber, who allowed two runs and nine hits over 4 2/3 frames in two relief outings against the Nationals this campaign, went 0-3 in five starts in his first major league season last year — including a hard-luck loss to Washington on Oct. 1 in which he allowed one run and five hits in seven innings while registering 10 strikeouts.

Scherzer has won three consecutive starts and been superb in the last two — a pair of eight-inning performances in which he allowed two runs and five hits while registering 21 strikeouts against just one walk. The 32-year-old native of St. Louis is only 5-3 in 11 outings at home but has yielded fewer than three earned runs in each of his last seven turns at Nationals Park. Scherzer is 3-3 lifetime against Atlanta and 2-0 in three starts this season but was reached for four runs while failing to last more than 6 1/3 frames in each victory.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Nationals have dominated the season series, winning 11 of the first 13 meetings.

2. Weber will be the 15th pitcher to start a game for Atlanta this season.

3. Washington RHP Stephen Strasburg, who is sidelined with soreness in his right elbow, could start Wednesday's series finale.

PREDICTION: Nationals 8, Braves 3