Braves hope Minor can keep streak alive in D.C.

Lefty Mike Minor can keep the good times rolling for the Atlanta Braves on Monday night when they head to Nationals Park to begin a three-game series with the host Washington Nationals.

Leaders by 12 1/2 games over Washington in the National League East, the Braves have won 10 straight games, including a three-game sweep of Philadelphia that concluded Sunday at Citizens Bank Park.

Chris Johnson collected two RBI and Alex Wood spun six strong innings of one- run ball as the Braves notched a 4-1 decision.

Jason Heyward scored twice and knocked in a run, while Justin Upton added a run-scoring double for the Braves, who haven't tasted defeat since July 25 at New York.

Wood (2-2) limited the Phillies to two hits and as many walks while striking out three to earn his second straight victory. Craig Kimbrel worked around a one-out single in the ninth to secure his 34th save of the season.

Minor, an 11-game winner last season, equaled that total in his last start on July 31 against Colorado when he tossed seven innings of scoreless, two-hit ball in a 9-0 victory.

He's won two straight starts and three of four since a five-outing drought that stretched from June 15 to July 8 and left him with an 8-4 record.

In four games since, he's allowed six runs on 17 hits in 29 innings of work, lowering his earned run average to a stingy 2.75 in 144 overall innings.

He's 3-2 in his career against the Nationals in six starts.

For Washington, righty Stephen Strasburg faces the Braves for the 11th time in his 67th major-league outing.

He pitched just two innings, allowing a run on two hits, against Atlanta in their last meeting on May 31, striking out two batters in a game the Nationals ultimately won, 3-2.

He's 3-4 overall against Atlanta and carries a 3.55 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings.

Strasburg is 0-3 in four starts since last winning on July 7 against San Diego.

On Sunday in Milwaukee, Jeff Bianchi's two-run single capped a five-run sixth inning as the Brewers avoided a three-game sweep with an 8-5 win over the Nationals.

Adam LaRoche and Anthony Rendon each hit a solo homer and Kurt Suzuki had a pair of RBI for the Nationals, losers in three of five.

Fernando Abad (0-3) was pegged with the loss after giving up two runs in the sixth.

The Braves are 7-3 against Washington this season.