Dodge City, The OK Corral, and 3:10 To Yuma remind us of famous old west showdowns but a more modern MLB showdown takes place tonight in our Nation's Capital. Atlanta has the best record in baseball and is on a six game win streak and a perfect 3-0 Road Record. Washington also has a three game win streak respectively and a 6-0 Home Record so with an environment which will have a playoff feel fans can look foward to an exciting game as these National League Rivals meet for the first time in the 2013 season. Atlanta's Teheran will have a huge task tonight in his starting pitching role. Teheran gave up five runs in five Innings Pitched last outing and may have appeared a little staged fright with his first start of the season. Teheran is 1-1 5.79 ERA is five MLB starts but has never faced the Nationals. Teheran had a 1.04 ERA in Spring Training and will need to find some of that success tonight vs. Bryce Harper who is checking in with a .417 average, four HR's and eight RBI's. Washington's Detwiller gave up one unearned run in his last outing in six innings but also has a 1.96 ERA vs. Atlanta in his last three outings in this matchup. Run Support has been an issue with Detwiller on occasion as he only won one of the three games of those three outings. Upton is .353 and has the NL's best six HR's in first nine games but is 2 for 11 vs. Detwiller. This should be a classic showdown. Atlanta will have to reduce the number of strikeouts in this series as they have 84 K's in nine games which ranks second in MLB and now must face a National Pitching Staff who had 1325 K's in the 2012 season. Atlanta did win the final four games vs. Washington in the 2012 season after losing 10 of the first 14. Jason Heyward could not feel any more pressure at the moment. Everyone is anxious for him to break out of the 2 for 28 slump he is currentlymired up to his batting gloves in. Heyward is .357 vs. Detwiller so this too will be another showdown. Teheran vs. Harper and Detwiller vs. Upton and Heyward might be the showdowns that make the biggest impacts tonight in our Nation's Capital Source: ESPN and Yahoo MLB Preview.
Yeah, gotta love this matchup if you are a baseball fan. Looks like my Red Sox will be rained out tonight so I will head to the local tavern and check out the Braves/Nats. Will probably take the Braves, lay the heavy juice on the run line, and wonder why I did it when they are down 3-0 early.
Well shit I was hoping Jordan Schafer would be in the lineup tonight after the great game he had last time out. Might could have given a check mark in the hustle category Atlanta's way. Looks like BJ Upton back in after a day off so with the travel day, Upton should be primed to go tonight. Atlanta did have some double plays converted against them last time out but overall have been good at not hitting into them this season. A big key tonight will Braves keeping baseruners in action on the offensive end while defensively giving Terehan all the assistance they can muster with conversions of double plays. Gattis is having a fine run right now also for Atlanta and has gained confidence as a clutch hitter.
Teheran will most likely give up some runs but I also like Atlanta's chances of getting some off Detwiler even with his impressive numbers. Upton, Simmons, Gattis, Fransico and Uggla hitting well and should be able to get their knocks in. Heyward has to get it going at some point and in this matchup with Heywards success in the past hopefully Heyward can finally put together a fundamental night at the plate. Today the focus will be Atlanta Team Total Over 3 1/2 looking for some fundamental get em on get em over get em in baseball and maybe an Upton, Gattis, Heyward HR to boot. Game televised on MLB Network Channel 213 DTV today as well as FS South Channel 646 DTV with a 7:05 start time.
Wow what a roller coaster ride. Zimmerman had the play to end it but an errant throw to second slips through and runners score. Never thought this one would come around. Simmons got screwed on the strikeout call and I thought it might be over at that point but Braves hung in there and got the job done. I am very suprised and thrilled to get the 4-4 score.
6-4 Final with Pena's two run HR in the 10th as Braves take Game 1 of the series. Nationals bull pen really let Detwiler down as he had really put them into a good position for a solid win. Upton got screwed also with the would be HR that was ruled a double and that run would have really been a big what could have been if circumstances would have been different. I am guilty of giving up today and writing the game off prematurely. For that I award myself The Pussy Of The Day Award. With that I sign off for tonight and as always Safe Safe RX Land. What A Ball Game.
