After starting the second half of the season with a win on Friday night against the Nationals 7-6, the Braves returned from the All-Star Break to drop their first series as the Nationals went on to win Saturday 8-2 and today 15-6. On Friday, Tim Hudson got the win giving up five runs on nine hits in 6 and 2 1/3 innings of work. At the plate, Brian McCann helped Hudson out with a bases-clearing double in the third to score three runs as the Braves would rally for four in the inning. Shortstop Brent Lillibridge, center-fielder Mark Kotsay, and McCann all had at least one RBI on the day. Chipper Jones with 1 for 3 with a walk and is now batting .375. On Saturday, Jair Jurrjens recorded his fifth loss of the season as his 6 1/3 innings of work in which he struck out five and gave up five runs on eight hits was not enough to hold the Nationals off. In the Fifth, Chipper Jones hit a two-out RBI and Greg Norton hit a solo homer in the Ninth to score Atlanta’s only runs on the day. The Braves did not make the most of their opportunities and in the game left stranded the runners with the bases loaded twice against the Nationals pitcher John Lannan. The Nationals were able to combine for 14 hits on the day, and former Brave catcher Johnny Estrada went 1 for 4. Today, the Nationals rallied for 15 runs on 17 hits. After just 2 1/3 innings Jo-Jo Reyes was taken out of the game after giving up six runs on seven hits while only having one strike out and walking four. The Braves were left to rely on their bullpen for the remainder of the day and were unable to recover. Mark Teixeira hit two homers and had three RBIs on the day going 2 for 4 with a walk and strikeout, and pinch hitter Martin Prado even had a solo homer. Now the Braves will turn around and travel to Florida for a three game series starting tomorrow with Jorge Campillo (4-4) on the mound against Chris Volstad (2-0) of the Marlins.
