{"id":679632,"date":"2026-04-20T07:12:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T07:12:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/679632\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T07:12:01","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T07:12:01","slug":"inconsistent-nationals-face-challenge-in-surging-braves-field-level-media-professional-sports-content-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/679632\/","title":{"rendered":"Inconsistent Nationals face challenge in surging Braves – Field Level Media – Professional sports content solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Washington Nationals will try to cool off Michael Harris II and the surging Atlanta Braves when the teams open a four-game series on Monday night.<\/p>\n

The visiting Braves have won five straight and 9 of 11 following a 4-2 win at the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night.<\/p>\n

Washington salvaged the finale of a three-game series against the visiting San Francisco Giants with a 3-0 shutout on Sunday.<\/p>\n

The Nationals will send right-hander Jake Irvin (1-2, 6.16 ERA) against Braves righty Bryce Elder (2-1, 0.77) in the opener.<\/p>\n

Irvin lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-0 in his last start on Wednesday, working five innings and giving up two runs on four hits. He settled in after allowing both runs in the first inning and retired 13 of the final 16 batters he faced.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust making sure we kept guys off-balance, making sure we weren\u2019t making it too easy for them,\u201d Irvin said.<\/p>\n

Irvin is 2-2 with a 3.79 ERA in seven career starts versus Atlanta since 2023.<\/p>\n

Last time out, Elder did not allow a run in collecting a 6-3 home win over the Miami Marlins on Wednesday. He yielded four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in 5 2\/3 innings.<\/p>\n

Elder is 2-2 with a 3.03 ERA in 38 2\/3 innings over six career starts against the Nationals since 2022.<\/p>\n

Harris homered and had three hits as Atlanta rallied from a 2-0 deficit to complete the three-game sweep at Philadelphia. Ozzie Albies had an RBI double for the Braves, who outscored the Phillies 16-3 in the series.<\/p>\n

Harris has six hits in his last seven at-bats with two walks, two homers and four runs, raising his average to .290. He has three home runs this season when hitting ninth in the batting order.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe they pitch me differently in the ninth spot because I\u2019ve got (Ronald Acuna Jr.) behind me, but just try to go up there and be myself and get the job done,\u201d Harris said after the game.<\/p>\n

In Washington on Sunday, three pitchers combined to shut out the Giants. Opener PJ Poulin left with two outs in the first, Miles Mikolas tossed four scoreless innings and left-hander Andrew Alvarez, called up earlier in the day from Triple-A Rochester, pitched 4 1\/3 scoreless innings for the win.<\/p>\n

\u201cKnew (Alvarez) could give us some length,\u201d Nationals manager Blake Butera said. \u201cKnew he could give our bullpen a well-deserved rest given what we\u2019re in now, 17 (days of games) in a row and that went as perfectly as it could have. All those guys threw the ball extremely well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Curtis Mead smacked a two-run homer and Keibert Ruiz had two hits, an RBI and a run for Washington. The Nationals \u2014 including Mead \u2014 bounced back from a day of physical and mental mistakes in a 7-6, 12-inning loss to the Giants on Saturday. Mead was tagged out running to third base standing up instead of sliding.<\/p>\n

\u201cReally happy for him,\u201d Butera said of Mead. \u201cWe had some good conversations today about (Saturday\u2019s) game and some of the mistakes we made \u2014 not just Curtis but as a group \u2014 and (good) to see them learn from them and flush them, be ready to go today. Happy for Curtis. That was a huge home run he hit there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Atlanta took the season series 9-4 in 2025.<\/p>\n

\u2013Field Level Media<\/p>\n

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