Struggling Braves hit the road for battle with Nats

Sep 14, 2007, 15:22 GMT

- Georgia native Chuck James goes for a second straight win when his Atlanta Braves visit RFK Stadium tonight to open a three-game series against the Washington Nationals.

James, who'll turn 26 in November, allowed eight hits and two runs over 6 1/3 innings of a 9-2 victory against the Nationals Saturday in Atlanta.

The win raised his lifetime mark against Washington to 3-2 in seven starts, during which he's posted a 3.92 earned run average in 39 innings.

It also snapped a month-long skid for the southpaw, who'd gone 0-2 with a pair of no decisions in four starts since a 12-4 defeat of Houston on July 31.

Washington lefty Matt Chico is also sliding, having not won since July 31. On that date, the 24-year-old Californian -- who will take the mound for the Nationals tonight -- improved to 5-6 on the season with a 6-3 defeat of Cincinnati that featured five innings of two-run ball.

Since then, he's 0-2 with three no decisions and allowed six unearned runs on six hits over five innings when he faced James and the Braves last Saturday.

Chico is 2-2 in four career starts against Atlanta, posting a 2.18 ERA in 20 2/3 innings.

On Wednesday in New York, Shawn Green singled home the eventual game-winning run in the eighth inning as the NL East-leading New York Mets held off the Braves, 4-3, in the finale of a three-game series at Shea Stadium.

John Smoltz, who flirted with a no-hitter in his last start, allowed two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and a pair of walks over six innings for Atlanta. Manny Acosta received the loss after yielding the go-ahead run in the eighth.

Mark Teixeira ended 2-for-4 and scored twice for the Braves, who have lost three of four and fell to 9 1/2 games behind the Mets in the division standings.

Washington is coming off Wednesday's extra-inning loss at Florida, with Todd Linden's seeing-eye single in the bottom of the 12th inning lifting the Marlins to a 5-4 victory.

Mike Jacobs led off Florida's half of the 12th with an opposite-field double against Saul Rivera, then was lifted for pinch-runner Reggie Abercrombie. Abercrombie moved to third on Robert Andino's grounder for the second out, then scored the game-winning run when Linden's slow, hopping hit up the middle eluded two Washington infielders and trickled into center field.

Nats starter Joel Hanrahan lasted just 3 1/3 innings, allowing six hits and three runs with five strikeouts and six walks.

Wily Mo Pena had two hits, including a solo home run, and scored twice for the Nationals, who have lost two straight and four of six. Ryan Church also homered and Hanrahan added a run-scoring single.

Atlanta is 9-6 against Washington this season but has lost four of six matchups with the Nationals at RFK Stadium in 2007.

© 2007 The Sports Network