Nats send Bergmann to hill to face Braves

Sep 15, 2007, 14:46 GMT

- Right-hander Jason Bergmann tries to keep a multi-month unbeaten streak going tonight when the Washington Nationals host the Atlanta Braves in the second game of a three-game series at RFK Stadium.

Atlanta stands 4 1/2 games behind San Diego for the National League's wild card lead. The Padres beat the Giants, 5-4, in 10 innings Friday night.

Colorado, Los Angeles and Philadelphia are also ahead of the Braves in the wild card chase.

Bergmann, who'll turn 26 later this month, is unbeaten in seven appearances since a 7-2 loss to Pittsburgh on June 30. He defeated the Braves in his last start on September 9, allowing four hits and three runs over six innings of a 7-4 triumph.

The win upped the Rutgers product's lifetime mark against Atlanta to 3-2 in 12 appearances - six starts.

He's 3-2 in seven home starts this season with a 3.32 earned run average in 43 1/3 innings.

Lance Cormier gets a rematch with Bergmann after dropping the September 9 verdict.

The 27-year-old right-hander allowed seven hits and four runs over six innings in the loss, which dropped his career mark against the Nationals to 3-4 in nine games - four starts.

Previously, Cormier had won two straight starts, allowing 10 hits and three runs over 12 2/3 innings while downing Florida and Philadelphia.

He's 1-2 in four road starts this season with a 7.65 ERA in 20 innings.

On Friday, Jeff Francoeur's two-run single in the 13th inning led Atlanta to an 8-5 victory. Yunel Escobar and Edgar Renteria each had three hits and scored once for Atlanta, which has won two of its last three.

Chipper Jones, who returned to the lineup after missing three starts due to a strained muscle on his right side, had three hits with an RBI and scored twice for the Braves.

Jose Ascanio (1-1) threw two innings to get the victory, while Jesus Colome (4-1) suffered the loss in the opener of the three-game series that ended after 5 hours, 13 minutes, not including a 16-minute delay due to wet grounds.

Ronnie Belliard went 4-for-7 with a homer and scored three times, and Ryan Zimmerman also went deep, driving in three for Washington, losers of three straight. The Nationals' last two games have ended in extra innings, including a 5-4 loss in 12 at Florida on Wednesday.

Atlanta is 10-6 against Washington this season but has lost four of seven matchups with the Nationals at RFK Stadium in 2007.

© 2007 The Sports Network