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Braves open up second half vs. Nationals

Jul 15, 2011 - 2:49 PM (Sports Network) - The Atlanta Braves can get an early jump on solidifying postseason aspirations tonight when the host the Washington Nationals in game one of a three-game weekend series to open the season's second half at Turner Field.

The Braves enter the post-break segment of the schedule in second place in the National League's East Division, where they trail the Philadelphia Phillies by 3 1/2 games after dropping the final game of a pre-break weekend series with the Phils. Atlanta does lead the early-stage race for the NL's wild card berth by five games over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Georgia-born righty Tim Hudson gets the call to open the series and will aim for a 12th career win against the Nationals in his 21st start against them.

Hudson has won 11 of his initial 14 decisions in the matchup while posting a stingy 2.00 earned run average across 139 1/3 innings, allowing just 31 earned runs and striking out 96 batters.

He was a winner in his final two starts before the All-Star Game, tossing a combined 13 1/3 innings and giving up six earned runs in consecutive defeats of Baltimore and Colorado.

Hudson, who's 80 games over .500 in his career (173-93) is 5-3 in 11 home starts in 2011.

The Nationals, on the other hand, are well out of the NL East race at 11 1/2 games back, but have nonetheless surprised many while playing .500 ball in the first half, going 46-46 in spite of injuries and the resignation of manager Jim Riggleman.

Washington won its final game before the All-Star break, but has struggled on the road, winning just 18 of 46 games away from home and just 13 of 32 games overall against division opponents.

Another veteran, 36-year-old Cuban Livan Hernandez, gets the start for the Nationals while going for a sixth straight start without a loss.

The former World Series hero defeated St. Louis, 10-0, on June 15 and was a 2-1 winner against the Chicago White Sox on June 26, while also recording no- decisions against Seattle, Pittsburgh and the Chicago Cubs in his final five first-half starts.

He's faced the Braves 34 times in his career and has won just seven, while posting a hefty 4.77 ERA across 207 2/3 innings.

The most recent matchup came in his first start of the season, when he gave up two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 2-0 loss.

These two clubs have split six meetings so far in 2011, with the Nationals taking two of three at Turner Field in May to give them seven victories in the last 11 matchups overall.