The Washington Nationals swept the Atlanta Braves in a brief two-game series last week to begin their 2016 campaign. They will try to sustain their mastery of the Braves later tonight when they begin a four-game series at home against Atlanta. Read on for more about this matchup. You can also check out our breakdown of Reds vs. Cubs.
Bud Norris made quite an impression in his first start for his new team. Norris allowed three earned runs on six hits and struck out four across seven innings of action in a 3-1 Atlanta loss to Washington on April 6. Those aren’t exactly top-flight numbers, but Norris showed he can keep Atlanta in a game.
Norris looks to do even better this time around against Washington as he makes his fourth-career start in Nationals Park. All of Norris’ previous three starts in that park was when he was with the Astros, who went 2-1 in those games. Norris’ last start there was a poor one, as he allowed four earned runs in six innings of an 11-4 Houston victory way back in 2012. He did limit the Nationals to only two earned runs in each of his prior two starts in Washington, however, so he’s definitely got some nice memories there to keep his confidence up heading into tonight’s ball game.
Norris needs his teammates’ bats to come alive, especially after Atlanta was held to one run in his most recent duty versus Washington. Freddie Freeman is hoping to answer the call as he is 9-for-29 (.310) with four doubles and a pair of homers against Gonzalez. Eleven-year vet Jeff Francoeur, meanwhile, is 10-for-25 (.640) in the same head-to-head matchup.
Gio Gonzalez is ready to make his season debut. The Nationals will give the ball later tonight to Gonzalez, as they look to stay undefeated in their regular-season series with Atlanta. Washington opened the season with two-straight wins over Atlanta, beating the Braves on April 4 (4-3) and on April 6 (3-1) on the road.
Gonzalez finished last season with an 11-8 record to go with a 3.79 ERA. The southpaw went 6-4 that year at Nationals Park while recording a respectable 3.35 ERA across 14 home starts, including two dominant wins over the Braves. Gonzalez totally owned the Braves in 2015, going 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts—both at home. His most recent matchup with Atlanta came on September 5, when he held the Braves scoreless and with just two hits in eight innings of action of an 8-2 Washington home win.
The Nationals’ offense, on the other hand, intends to punish Atlanta anew. Wilson Ramos and Danny Espinosa had a good time at the plate last week against Atlanta, as the two combined for 6-for-16 hitting and three runs in the two-game series. That’s the same hitting line Ramos has thus far in his career against Atlanta’s Bud Norris to go with a homer and three RBIs.
Washington is 7-3 in its last 10 home games against the Braves.
