The Washington Nationals are now comfortably in charge of the National League East after their nearest competitors, the Atlanta Braves, have dropped eight games in a row.
Atlanta will try and turn things around Friday by sending Ervin Santana to the mound against Washington’s Stephen Strasburg in this first game of a potentially season-defining three-game set for the Braves. Win and get back in the race, or lose and kiss the division – and possibly the playoffs – goodbye.
Find more games with major postseason ramifications in our daily MLB Free Picks or check out our analysis of another big MLB game Friday, the Jays vs. Tigers. Check them out and read on for more on this important NL East showdown.
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Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves, Major League Baseball, Betting Preview and Prediction
Where: Turner Field, Atlanta
When: Friday, August 8, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Washington Nationals (-120) at Atlanta Braves (+110); total 6.5 – view all MLB lines
Betting on the Washington Nationals
The Nats have been up and down in the second half of the season, with an 11-9 record in their last 20 games. They’re last eight games have mirrored this inconsistency, as they’ve alternated two game losing streaks with two game winning streaks.
[sc:MLB240banner ]Denard Span, however, has been anything but inconsistent. The Nats’ leadoff man is currently on an 11-game hitting streak, and produced another four-hit night last night against the Mets.
Star outfielder Bryce Harper has been the exact opposite of Span, going three for his last 24. But Harper may have finally broken through that slump yesterday, as he delivered a walk-off two-run home run in to beat the aforementioned Mets, 5-3.
Stephen Strasbug could do with being the beneficiary of more decent run support from the Nats lineup. Despite going seven innings each in both of his most recent starts with one run surrendered in total, his teammates also only scored a total of one run while he was still in those games.
Strasburg has pitched well in his last couple starts, but in his two starts prior to those, he gave up four earned runs each, both resulting in Nats losses. Washington has won just three of its last 10 games with Strasburg on the mound.
Betting on the Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are in a free fall. Eight straight road losses have seen the Braves slip to 4.5 games back of the Nats for first in the NL East.
The finger of blame for Atlanta’s current collapse must be pointed squarely at its offense, which isn’t scoring nearly enough runs. Braves batters have managed to score just three runs or less in seven of their last eight games.
Atlanta hasn’t won since Ervin Santana, tonight’s starter, hurled eight scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts against the Padres on July 28. Over his last three starts, Santana has a shiny 1.23 ERA.
But in his last time out against the Padres on August 2, Santana’s 6.2 innings of work with just two earned runs wasn’t enough to get the win due to a lack of run support.
The Braves haven’t struggled against Stephen Strasburg this season. In two starts against the Nats pitcher, Atlanta has scored 10 runs in 10.1 innings on the way to two wins.
The Braves have won seven of their 10 meetings against Washington this season and seven of the last eight in Atlanta.
Writer’s Prediction
Strasburg has an easier time mowing down the struggling Braves lineup as Washington (-120) wins to hand Atlanta a ninth-straight loss. Creating a betting account today and get in on the simmering MLB division races.
