This afternoon’s game between the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves was a very entertaining way to spend a Saturday full of exciting baseball action.
Although NCAA college football season is well underway, watching September baseball with play off implications offers a lot of excitement. The division and wild cards races in both the American and National League are mostly up for grabs. The Chicago Cubs are the only team in MLB that has clinched a playoff berth. There are nine other spots to fill. There are 14 games left for the Nationals and their magic number to win the National League East is six.
Atlanta Braves Top Washington Nationals
Before any celebrations can happen, the Nationals had to play the Braves today. The Braves have not played well against the Nationals this season, and their head to head records prove it. The Braves have not won a series against the Nationals this season. If the Braves can win tomorrow afternoon’s game, it will be their first series win against the Nationals this season. Dusty Baker, the manager of the Nationals, does not want to lose two games in Atlanta. The Nationals will use most of their roster to insure that it won’t happen. Brian Snitker, the manager of the Braves, will use all the players in his arsenal as well. Expect a lot of great pitching and big hits tomorrow afternoon in Atlanta.
Possible Rookie of the Year
Trea Turner, the center fielder for the Nationals has been a hitting machine lately and is making his case for National League Rookie of the Year. Turner had two home runs for his team today. However the Braves offense was a bit better. Nick Markakis and Anthony Recker each had two RBIs for the Braves. Freddie Freeman was 1-for-4 and increased his current hitting streak to 21 games, the longest streak in baseball. Josh Collmenter was pitching for the Braves and after allowing a first inning RBI to the Nationals, Collmenter went on to pitch six innings allowing only two earned runs, and securing the win. Gio Gonzalez of the Nationals allowed five earned runs and suffered the loss.
Tomorrow’s pitching match-up will be Joe Ross of the Nationals against Matt Wisler of the Braves. This will be the first start against the Braves for Ross this season. Wisler is out to show how well he can pitch in big games and earn a spot in the pitching rotation for the Braves in 2017. It could be a battle of pitching, those games are always tense. Biting nails is a show of being nervous, Baker chews on toothpicks. Disgusting maybe, but no more disgusting than nail biting. A lot of MLB players chew gum, sunflower seeds, drink water, or have their own ways of dealing with tension. Baker had better bring a whole box of toothpicks to chew on for tomorrow afternoon’s game. He could be known as ‘Baker the toothpick chewer’.
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