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Sports The Nationals and the Braves have been fighting for the NL East lead all season. But the Marlins and the Mets are still in striking distance if they can put together a run. Including the Nationals’ series against the Marlins, which ended Wednesday, Washington is in a stretch of five straight series against NL East opponents (with a makeup game against the Orioles wedged in on Monday). Here’s what the Nationals need to do in their upcoming matchups to take command of the division. JASON BUT T (FOR E XPRESS)
SCOTT CUNNINGHAM (GETTY IMAGES)
Tanner Roark won his fourth start in a row for the Nationals on Wednesday.
This Time Nats Hold On … Barely
Philadelphia has been the worst team in the division, but Jimmy Rollins and Marlon Byrd have had a few big games against the Nationals this year. In the Phillies’ three wins over Washington, Rollins, left, was 7-for-12 with three RBIs, a triple and two home runs. Byrd went 4-for-11 with two doubles and two RBIs in those three wins. While Nationals hitters are batting only .241 against the Phillies, they’ve scored 43 runs and have won six of the nine games. Washington opens a four-game series against Philadelphia today.
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STE VEN WINE (AP)
Finally beat the Braves This is an obvious one: The Nationals need to take at least two of three against the Braves when they’re in Atlanta Aug. 8-10. Assuming the two teams are still neck and neck in the division standings, this series could provide some distance in the short term. The Nationals have yet to take a series against Atlanta this year. They are 3-7 against the Braves in 2014 and were 6-13 last year. This season, the Nationals have averaged just 2.7 runs per game against the Braves and 4.4 runs a game against all other teams.
Washington is 5-1 against New York this season, with its lone loss a 5-2 defeat on May 17. The Nationals have dominated the Mets, outscoring them 35 to 20. Nationals pitchers hold a collective 3.27 ERA against New York, with the offense batting .284. However, the Nationals will need to pitch better to center fielder Juan Lagares, who is a .278 hitter this year but holds a .421 average against Washington with two home runs. Two upcoming series against the Mets are at home Aug. 5-7 and away Aug. 12-14.
Durant Won’t Rule Out D.C. Return NBA Kevin Durant’s contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder has an expiration date in 2016 and he will be the most in-demand free agent, with fan bases around the league already salivating about the prospect of having the league’s reigning MVP on their roster. When asked at the Team USA training camp in Las Vegas about the possibility of playing for the Wizards, Durant didn’t shoot down the notion. “We’re going to put it out on the table. It’s been talked about,” Durant said. “Every time I go on Instagram or Twitter, all my
Kevin Durant speaks to the media after a Team USA practice in Las Vegas.
friends ask me about it. … But I just tell everybody, ‘Look, I’m here in Oklahoma City. I love it here.’ Who knows what’ll happen? You never
can close a door on anything, but I like where I’m at right now. I can’t answer those questions.” The line of questioning put Durant in a difficult position because he has never wavered in his desire to win in Oklahoma City, but he has also never hidden his love for his hometown. “I grew up watching the Bullets, Wizards. I grew up taking the train to that arena, all the time, to watch Georgetown, the Bullets, the Washington Mystics,” he said. “That whole city is a part of me. It’s in my blood. I love going back home, seeing my family and playing there, but I love Oklahoma City, too.” MICHAEL LEE (THE WASHINGTON POST )
Hearsay
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As the Nationals prepared to take the field with a three-run lead in the ninth, they braced themselves for another comeback bid by the feisty Miami Marlins. This time the Nationals held on — barely. Drew Storen allowed two runs before securing the final out for his first save since August 2013, and Washington averted a series sweep by snapping Miami’s six-game winning streak with a 4-3 victory Wednesday. “It’s not always going to be pretty,” Storen said. “It’s about getting it done. That’s all that matters.” Manager Matt Williams decided to rest closer Rafael Soriano, who hasn’t pitched since he blew a threerun ninth-inning lead in Washington’s loss Monday. That left Storen to try to finish off the Marlins, who had won nine of their past 10 games to rejoin the playoff race. Tanner Roark (11-6), who allowed one run in seven innings, won his fourth start in a row for the first-place Nationals. Soriano will be available today when Washington plays host to Philadelphia, Williams said.
Stick with what’s worked against the Mets
Don’t overlook the Phillies
ANDREW D. BERNSTEIN (NBAE VIA GETTY IMAGES)
ROB FOLDY (GETTY IMAGES)
How the Nats Can Pull Ahead
“All you can ask for now is the Finals. We’ve been to the second round. We know what it takes to win. ” — W IZ A RDS POINT GUA RD JOHN
WA LL SAYING FROM TEAM USA TRAINING CAMP IN LAS VEGAS WHAT HIS GOALS ARE FOR THE UPCOMING SEASON