ATLANTA -- The Washington Nationals are heating up, which is bad news for the Atlanta Braves.The Nationals travel to Atlanta to start a three-game series Friday. Theyve won eight of their last 10 and just took two of three from the New York Mets, leaving them with a 10-game cushion in the National League East.The Braves are headed the other way. They are 2-4 on their current homestand and won only two of their last nine as they try to avoid their first 100-loss season since 1988.Now the sagging Braves must host their biggest nemesis. The Nationals are 14-2 against the Braves this year, including a three-game sweep last week in Washington. The Braves have won only two games in its last 25 tries against the Nats. Atlanta needs to go 7-9 or better to avoid a 100-loss season.Were trying to win every game we play, Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said. Were playing every game like it was the seventh game of the World Series. Were not going to lay down and give in.Meanwhile, Washingtons magic number to clinch the division is seven.Im not a big stat guy, said bench coach Chris Speier, who was acting as manager while Dusty Baker was attending a family funeral. The magic number stuff? No. You play one game. Win one game. Dont worry about anything else.The first game of the series features Washingtons veteran right-hander Max Scherzer (16-7, 2.78 ERA) against Atlanta rookie right-hander John Gant (1-3, 4.40).Scherzer is on a four-game winning streak, although he received a no-decision in his last start when he threw 6 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out eight against the Phillies. He is 11-3 since June 1.Scherzer beat the Braves on Sept. 5. He pitched seven innings and allowed two runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. In his career against Atlanta, Scherzer is 4-3 with a 3.84 ERA in 11 appearances (nine starts).Gant makes his 16th appearance and seventh start. He pitched a scoreless inning of relief in his only appearance against Washington on April 6. Gants last start came against the Mets on Sept. 10, when he received a no-decision after allowing three runs (one earned) in 4 2/3 innings.Both teams may be missing a key player. Washingtons Danny Espinosa left the team Wednesday after the game to join his wife in California, where their first child is due. Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman left his team in the seventh inning Wednesday to join his wife for the birth of their first child.The Braves would really miss Freemans bat. He is riding a 20-game hitting streak, the longest in the National League this season, and has reached base in a career-best 36 straight contests. Fagner Brazil Jersey . Nathan MacKinnon, Jamie McGinn and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who won despite being outshot 38-23. MacKinnons goal, also on the power play, came with just over a minute remaining. Douglas Costa Brazil Jersey . Philadelphia is 2-0 against the Senators this season and scored five goals in each victory. The Flyers recorded a 5-0 win in Ottawa on Nov. 12 and then earned a 5-2 home decision on Nov. 19. The Flyers have claimed three straight and four of the last five encounters with the Sens overall and Philly has won two in a row and three of its past four tests in Canadas capital city. http://www.wholesalebraziljerseys.com/casemiro-brazil-jersey/ . Andrew Luck lost his favourite target and the Indianapolis locker room lost one of its most revered leaders when Reggie Wayne was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that will cost him the rest of the season. Filipe Luis Brazil Jersey .J. -- Pitcher Carl Pavano is retiring after 14 major league seasons. Cheap Brazil National Jerseys . The Lightning are 2-0 so far on a four-game road trip, giving the club five straight wins as the guest and improving Tampas away record this season to 11-8-2. HOUSTON -- Players and coaches for sixth-ranked Houston might not use the exact phrase to describe Thursdays contest against UConn at TDECU Stadium.Whether classified as a revenge game publicly or not, expect the Cougars to be looking for a little payback against the only team to beat them in 2015 while theyre the focus of college footballs national spotlight.The Cougars (4-0, 1-0 in the American Athletic Conference) were denied a perfect season last year when UConn posted a 20-17 home victory on Nov. 15 when Houston was No. 13 in the country. The Cougars went on to win the AAC Championship game over Temple and then waylaid Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl and have been perfect so far in 2016.Houston quarterback Greg Ward Jr. played sparingly in last years upset because of an ankle injury while star linebacker Elandon Roberts was ejected early due to a targeting call.Theres some added motivation for this one, Houston coach Tom Herman said Monday at his weekly media availability. We dont have much to talk about, but I do believe that our returning players on our team are better than they were last season. We dont see this game as a chance for redemption but there is a bit of internal sense of liability, of atonement, to right some of the wrongs that occurred.Houston has lost just one football game in Hermans 18-game tenure in the Bayou City, but he said the team wont focus on what happened last season.Its not something you forget about, Houston defensive end Cameron Malveaux said. We were 10-0 and on a roll. Being crushed like that stayed with us, but we are looking at it as another step towards our goal of getting to the conference championship.Houston comes into Thursdays game off a 64-3 walloping of Texas State on the road in which the Cougars played a nearly flawless game. Houston outgained Texas State 563-142 (429-82 in the first half), outrushed the Bobcats 243-33 and had 32 first downs to Texas States eight. The Cougars scored on their first seven possessions while fashioning a 43-3 halftime lead and had no turnovers or penalties.I was proud of the strides that the offensive made -- they played well, Herman said. It wasnt that they were playing aawful.dddddddddddd In the Cincinnati game (on Sept. 15), we were shooting ourselves in the foot in critical situations. The offense did a much better job (against Texas State) finding a rhythm and finishing drives. UConn (2-2, 0-1 American) heads to Houston on the heels of a 31-24 loss at home to Syracuse on Sept. 24 in which the Huskies owned significant advantages in time of possession (38:29-21:31), total plays (91-66) and rushing yards (144-62).Syracuse receiver Amba Etta-Tawo amassed 270 yards via 12 catches and two first-quarter touchdowns and UConn quarterback Bryant Shirreffs threw a pick-six late in the third quarter that all but doomed the Huskies.We had a couple of plays that created, really, a 21-point gift -- and you cant win like that, UConn coach Bob Diaco said.Saturdays game was tough because we can see how close these games are and how good weve become. Theres still been a few moments that have created losing and prevented winning. Its not a complacent attitude for sure. The team has gotten better every week in all three phases. For some reason, in all four games, we have had a few explosive plays in the passing games. Thats not a characteristic of how we play. Those plays have made the games harder than they need to be.Diaco understands that his team will have its hands full with Ward, who passed for 289 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 39 yards and another score in just over two quarters of play against Texas State.Ward has great pocket presence and utilizes movement back there to create opportunities -- hes not just scrambling to run, Diaco said. He puts their offense into good plays and has high intelligence about how to run their offense. Hes one of the premier quarterbacks in the nation.Houston opened as a 24? point favorite to win the grudge match with UConn. But Diaco knows his team will not back down and is buoyed by the win last year against Houston, no matter the circumstances.We are tough minded group and one that believes in itself, Diaco said. There is great clarity and strong leadership on this team. 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