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LINEUP + NOTES (from the Nationals): Davey Martinez’s Washington Nationals started today’s doubleheader with the Atlanta Braves 8-3 in their last eleven games, outscoring opponents 76-35 over that stretch, with Nats’ starters putting up a National League-best 2.48 ERA and a .220 BAA (4th-best in the NL) in those games, over which the Nationals’ hitters put up an NL-best .288/.386/.501 slash line.
In 15 games since the All-Star break, the Nationals also led all NL clubs in OBP (.365), SLG (.480), OPS (.844), runs (tied, 92), and stolen bases (14), and they ranked second in the Senior Circuit in AVG (.277), and third in doubles (30), home runs (tied, 21) and average with RISP (.308), while Nats’ hitters had recorded an NL-low 103 Ks since the Break, which were the fewest in the National League.
Bryce Harper, among others, has been on a tear out of the Break. Going into the first of two today in the nation’s capital, the 25-year-old slugger was 18 for 49 (for a .367 AVG) with six doubles, three home runs, 14 RBIs, 10 walks, three stolen bases, and 12 runs scored over the last 15 games.
The run he’s been on took Harper from a .214/.365/.468 line on July 14th to a .234/.380/.495 line overall on the season before the start of play today, and he’d put up a National League-best 88 walks, with 118 Ks in 476 plate appearances, over which he’d been worth 2.3 fWAR.
Harper added his 27th home run in the fourth inning of this afternoon’s game, taking Braves’ left-hander Kolby Allard deep to right field on a 1-1 fastball to get the Nationals on the board in what ended up being a four-run inning that sparked the home team. He ended up going 2 for 5 on the day in the Nats’ 8-3 win.
HERE’S THE NATS’ LINEUP FOR GAME 2 WITH THE BRAVES IN D.C.:
#Nats vs #Braves (2 of 2 and 2 of 4): Turner SS, Soto LF, Rendon 3B, Harper RF, Zimmerman 1B, Murphy 2B, Taylor CF, Wieters C, Scherzer RHP
— federalbaseball (@federalbaseball) August 7, 2018