The Atlanta Braves are a perfect 5-0 over their last five games. The Braves look to extend their winning streak to six games this Friday when they take on the Washington Nationals in the first game of a three-game series.
Braves home underdogs on Friday facing Nationals, Max Scherzer
The Atlanta Braves hope to move closer to winning the NL East title facing the Washington Nationals this weekend, but the sportsbooks have them set as Friday underdogs.
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Atlanta is a +137 home underdog at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. Trade deadline acquisition Kevin Gausman gets the start for the Braves facing Max Scherzer and the Nationals as -147 road favorites.
Washington Nationals at Atlanta Braves
When: Friday, September 14, 7:35 p.m. ET
Where: SunTrust Park, Cobb County, Georgia
Betting Line / Total: Washington -147 / 7.5 Runs
Atlanta Braves
The Braves failed to run away with the NL East when they finished their last homestand with a disappointing 2-6 slump, but a 6-1 record over the team’s seven-game road trip over the last week has given Atlanta a 7.5-game lead over Philadelphia.
Now the Braves return home for a 10-game homestand in which they hope to both secure the division title and get back to winning at SunTrust Park. The Braves are just 37-34 at home this year compared to a 45-30 record on the road.
Kevin Gausman has been brilliant for the Braves with a 2.32 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP in seven starts for his new team. The Braves are 5-1 both straight up and on the runline in Gausman’s last six starts per the OddsShark MLB Database.
Washington Nationals
Washington picked up its longest winning streak since May this week when it swept the Philadelphia Phillies to earn its fifth straight win.
The 5-1 run over the Nationals’ last six games is probably too little too late with an 8.5-game deficit in the NL East and only 15 games left to play, but sweeping the Braves this weekend could at least make things interesting. The Nationals are 10-4 in Max Scherzer’s last 14 starts against Atlanta.
Friday night’s total is set at 7.5 runs. The OVER is 4-1-1 in the last six games between these two division rivals.
Atlanta has not made it to the postseason since 2013 and has not won a series in the postseason since 2001. This could be the year that those streaks come to an end. This weekend’s series continues with pitching matchups of Jefry Rodriguez vs. Julio Teheran on Saturday and Tanner Roark vs. Sean Newcomb on Sunday.
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