National League East rivals Washington and Atlanta open a three game set tonight in the Peach State as the Braves look to reel in the division leader. Start time in this evening’s Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves series opener is scheduled for 7:35pm ET at Turner Field. MLB Odds are favoring the host squad at -120 on the moneyline while Nationals are drawing +110 odds as a road dog. Tonight’s game total is set at nine runs; both the Over and Under are receiving -110 odds.
June has been a mixed bag for the Braves with the team posting a 12-11 record this month; however, despite their near break even play, they have stayed in the thick of the division title chase. Atlanta, at 40-35, sits 3.5 games back of the first place Nationals, and it will attempt to further reduce that gap tonight.
The Braves, who are coming off a home series win over the Diamondbacks, will look to get their series with Washington started on a good note by handing the ball to rookie right hander Randall Delgado. That may serve to work against Atlanta, though, as it is 3-7 in Delgado’s last 10 starts. Delgado, who owns a 4.52 ERA and 1.41 WHIP, is also coming off his worst start of the season as he got hammered for six hits and four earned runs in 1 1/3 innings of work in an 8-4 loss to the Red Sox.
Also problematic for the Braves is their recent play opposite the Nationals. Atlanta did come away with a 3-2 in the last meeting between the two clubs (June 3rd); however, the club is 1-6 in its last seven against Washington.
The Nationals come into tonight’s game with a 43-31 record after splitting a four game set with the Rockies in Colorado. Washington, which ranks 24th in the league in runs scored (298), plated an unbelievable 37 runners in the Colorado series.
Skipper Davey Johnson can only hope the Nats do not need that type of production tonight in order to help lefty hurler Ross Detwiler garner his fifth win of the season. Detwiler could use some support, though, as Washington has scored a total of eight runs in his last three appearances. Granted, two of those showings were in relief, but Detwiler allowed just four hits and no earned runs over five innings in his last outing only to see the Nationals fall 2-1 at Baltimore.
MLB Friday Betting Trend: The Braves are 7-2 over the last two years playing as a home favorite in the first game of a series coming off a home loss (Under is 7-2 in those games).
MLB Friday Washington Nationals vs. Atlanta Braves Odds
Washington Nationals +1.5 (-190), Over 9 (-110), +110 (Moneyline)
Atlanta Braves -1.5 (+165), Under 9 (-110), -120 (Moneyline)
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