Sunday Night MLB Report (May 27)

Sunday Night Baseball features the Nationals and the Braves in Atlanta as these two teams continue to battle for National League East supremacy.

ESPN LOVE

In the past, the Nationals were never a team considered for ESPN's programming, but this up and coming team is now making their second Sunday Night appearance on the network this month. They lost the earlier showing on May 6th against the Phillies 9-3 as a +100 home underdog. The big news from that game was when Cole Hamels beamed Bryce Harper in the first inning. Harper would later steal home plate, becoming only the second player in Nationals' franchise history to do so.

LIFE'S A BEACH

Atlanta's starter Brandon Beachy has been surprising for the Braves. He's 5-2 with a 1.77 ERA giving up just 40 hits in 61 innings. The righty has won two of his last three starts, sporting a 2.05 ERA in that span. Beachy faced the Nationals twice last season in Washington sporting nearly identical stat lines. He went 11 total innings giving up eight runs and 12 hits, striking out 13 while walking only five. This will be only his fourth home start of the season.

GIO'S GOOD

The Nationals' starter Gio Gonzalez is no slouch either. He's 6-1 with a 1.98 ERA, allowing just 32 hits in 54.2 innings. Outside of a disastrous first start against the Cubs in Wrigley, the former Oakland starter has been great on the road. He allowed just four earned runs in four starts against San Diego, L.A. Dodgers, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia. It appears Gonzalez has begun to conquer his control issues, walking four or more batters in a game just twice this season.

HITTERS TO WATCH

Danny Espinosa 3-for-7 vs. Beachy Ryan Zimmerman 4-for-6 vs. Beachy Jack Wilson 2-for-12 vs. Gonzalez (Only Atlanta hitter who has faced him)

TRENDS

Washington is 1-5 in their last 6 Sunday games Washington is 4-0 in Gonzalez's last four starts Atlanta is 4-0 in their last four Sunday games The Over is 3-0-1 in Beachy's last 4 Sunday starts