Game Details: Atlanta Braves (13-16, fourth in the NL East) vs. Washington Nationals (12-12, second in the NL East)
Pitching Matchup: LHP Max Fried (0-1; 11.45 ERA) v. RHP Erick Fedde (2-2; 4.43 ERA)
Date & Time: Wednesday, May 5, 2021| 7:07 p.m. | Game #26 / Home Game #15
Location: Nationals Park, Washington DC
TV: MASN
Radio: 106.7 The Fan
SiriusXM Radio: 898
Game-Time Weather:
Rain and storms possible this evening. Temps will reach the upper 80s and begin to drop into the mid-60s by the end of the game. A delay or postponement is possible, depending on how storms set up around the area.
Washington Nationals Game Story Line
Looking to bounce back from last night's game, the Washington Nationals look to even the series against the Braves before they head to New York to play the New York Yankees this weekend. The Nationals will send Erick Fedde to the mound for tonight's action.
Pitching Matchup
Erick Fedde
The Nationals have another pleasant surprise starting on Wednesday. Erick Fedde has been extremely impressive this year, and he has only had one bad start. Unfortunately, that bad start came against the Braves. Since then, Fedde has only given up more than one run once. Fedde has yet to win a game against the Atlanta Braves. Hopefully, that will change tonight.
In that start, there was a clear difference in change-up use, and Fedde has since spoken about having a better pitch sequence. He has to rely on his cutter and mix in that sinker and change-up to be successful. Fedde had one of his best startups in his last outing and looks to build on it Wednesday.
Max Fried
Max Fried is set for his fourth start of the season and 54th of his career and will appear in his 71st game. Fried was reinstated off the 10-day IL before tonight's game after missing 18 games with a right hamstring strain. Fried has made seven career appearances and appeared in six starts against the Washington Nationals, including once in 2021. Fried is 1-2 with a 6.48 ERA in his career against the Nationals.
GameNotes:
There is No Place like Home
Despite the Washington Nationals losing last night, the Nationals have a winning record at Nats Park of 8-6, and while away from Nats Park, the Nationals are 4-7.
Lucky #7: Trea Turner
Trea Turner has had success against tonight's pitcher, Max Fried. Turner has hit .462 (6-13) with a 2B and a home run over his career. Additionally, Turner enters tonight v. the Braves batting .458 with two home runs and six runs over the last six games. He is also leading all Nationals with a batting average of .320, 31 hits, an on-base percentage of .371, and six home runs. He ranks second among position players behind Ryan Zimmerman in slugging percentage with a .546
Streaks Snapped
Josh Harrison’s seven-game hitting streak came to an end alongside the Nationals’ winning streak last night. The 33-year-old Harrison's 2021 stats now stand at:
- 22 hits
- Three doubles
- 2 home runs
- 9 RBI's
- A batting average of .344 and
- An OPS of .924
The Captain Returns
Ryan Zimmerman will return to the lineup tonight and play first base. Zimmerman has had 10 at-bats in the last seven days, with four hits, one home run, and five RBIs. His batting average is .319, and he has an OPS of .943. At Nats Park, Zimmerman has nine-game appearances with 21 at-bats, which has resulted in six hits, three home runs, and four RBIs.
Additionally, so far this season, he has played 15 games against NL teams, with 12 strikeouts and 39 at-bats resulting in 11 hits, three home runs and 6 RBIs. Zimmerman has yet to commit an error in the field, has participated in eight double plays, and holds a 1.000% fielding percentage.
Game Lineup
Washington Nationals
Trea Turner SS
Josh Harrison RF
Ryan Zimmerman 1B
Starlin Castro 3B
Yan Gomes C
Kyle Schwarber LF
Victor Robles CF
Jordy Mercer 2B
Erick Fedde RHP
Atlanta Braves
Ronald Acuna Jr. - RF
Feddie Freeman - 1B
Marcell Ozuna - LF
Ozzie Albies - 2B
Austin Riley - 3B
Dansby Swanson - SS
William Contreras - C
Cristian Pache - CF
Max Fried - P