Nats game blog: Joe Ross looks to get a grip on Braves in series finale

By Byron Kerr

Nationals

September 06, 2015, 9:28am

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It feels like this will be one of the last starts we will get to see from right-hander Joe Ross this season. The Nationals have said they are monitoring his innings between the minor and major leagues in his rookie season.

He lasted only 2 2/3 innings at St. Louis, walking six he said due to having difficulty gripping the baseball in the humid conditions.

Is 160 innings the cap? Or 180 innings like Matt Harvey?

He is currently at 145 1/3 combined innings. Either way, he has been quite a find for the Nationals. He makes his first start against the Braves today.

It is good to see Michael A. Taylor back in the starting lineup. His three-run homer in the 10th inning Friday was stuff of legend. With a bruised right knee, Taylor crushed a pitch to beat the Braves 5-2 after the Nationals were down 2-1 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

Tyler Moore gets the call to replace Ryan Zimmerman, who was a late scratch. It will be good to see Moore get five at-bats and challenge left-hander Manny Banuelos early in the game.

The Nationals are 9-0 vs. the Braves at home this season and have won four games in a row. If they can win today, it will be their first four-game sweep of the season.

Bryce Harper is the fifth player in major league baseball history with at least 30 HR and 100 walks at the age of 22 or younger, joining Eddie Mathews (1954), Ted Williams (1939, 1941), Mel Ott (1929) and Jimmie Foxx (1929).