Nats look to Fister for 10 in a row over Braves (game started)

The Nationals begin July in first place in the National League East, holding a 3 1/2 game lead over the Mets and leading tonight's opponent, the Braves, by seven.

Nationals manager Matt Williams will send veteran righty Doug Fister to the mound to face Braves highly-ranked right-hander Matt Wisler. It will be a rematch from last Thursday night when Fister outpitched the 22-year-old as the Nationals finished off a sweep against the Braves in a 7-0 win.

Fister allowed just four hits with one walk and four strikeouts over seven scoreless innings that evening. It was his longest and most impressive outing of the season.

Wisler will try to prevent Atlanta from dropping their 10th straight ballgame to the Nationals. In his major league debut on June 19, Wisler tossed eight innings, surrendering just one run while outdueling reigning NL Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom to beat the Mets 2-1.

But six days ago, the Nationals pounded out nine hits and six runs (four earned), knocking out Wisler after just four innings. Ian Desmond delivered the big blow with a two-run homer in the third.

Meanwhile, Bryce Harper and Yunel Escobar continue to torch opposing pitching. Harper ranks third in the NL with a .340 batting average while Escobar's .326 average is the fourth best mark in the league.

Harper's torrid home run pace slowed down from 13 in May to six in June, but the young slugger hit .370 with eight doubles and 15 RBIs in 22 games in the month while dealing with a bruised left knee and hamstring tightness in both legs.

Escobar batted .352 with two homers and 13 RBIs in June.

Update: The start of tonight's game has been delayed by rain.

Update II: The Braves announced that tonight's game is scheduled to begin at 9:20 p.m.

For the Nationals:

CF Denard Span
2B Danny Espinosa
3B Yunel Escobar
RF Bryce Harper
C Wilson Ramos
1B Clint Robinson
SS Ian Desmond
LF Michael A. Taylor
RHP Doug Fister

For the Braves:

2B Jace Peterson
CF Cameron Maybin
RF Nick Markakis
C A.J. Pierzynski
3B Juan Uribe
1B Kelly Johnson
SS Andrelton Simmons
LF Eury Perez
RHP Matt Wisler