The Atlanta Braves hope to keep a ten game winning streak alive and well when the Braves travel to Washington for an early week series with the Nationals starting tonight. Atlanta has posted sweeps of St Louis, Colorado and Philadelphia and have now have including the 10+ game winning streak to start the season multi ten game winning streaks this year for the first time since 1954 when the organization was in Milwaukee. Atlanta is 12 1/2 games ahead of Washington in the National League East but Atlanta is looking to put up further distance from the Nationals in this series. Mike Minor is 11 -5 2.75 ERA overall on the season but Minor has been excellent recently with 3-1 1.53 ERA in last five starts including seven Innings Pitched and 0 Earned Runs in last outing. Minor has shown excellent command with minimum BB's and will look to stay sharp tonight. Stephen Strasburg is 5-9 3.04 ERA overall on the season and has only received eight total runs of support in last four starts. Strasburg is 0-3 5.08 ERA in that stretch including allowing five Earned Runs in seven Innings Pitched in last outing. Strasburg is 0-1 1.93 ERA in last three starts vs. Atlanta and will face an Atlanta team who have averaged 6.6 Runs Per Game since last defeat. Chris Johnson has the National League leading .346 average and eight multi hit performances in nine games. Washington has struggled with Runners In Scoring Position going .162 in the last series and may not improve on that mark if Minor can continue to be dominant. Atlanta has won seven of ten in this matchup this year and now brings a ten game win streak into tonight's play looking to increase their lead in the Division standings. Source: ESPN MLB Preview.
