Max Fried, Ronald Acuña Jr. lead Atlanta Braves to big win

The Atlanta Braves started the biggest series to date Thursday against the Washington Nationals and won 4-2.

The Atlanta Braves are certainly playing their best ball of the year, and it couldn’t come at a better time for the team. The win Thursday was the team’s 11th in a row at Suntrust Park.

Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg, who has been feast or famine in the past against the Atlanta Braves pitched well, allowing 2 runs in the first on some greatly placed bloopers by the Braves offense.

The Braves have done a great job lately of forcing opposing pitchers counts up in the first inning and Thursday was no different, as Strasburg had to throw 24 pitches in the opening frame.

Max Fried was simply just better than Strasburg Thursday, and the game was probably the best Fried has looked all year.

I can only think of an early-season start against the Cubs where he looked as dominant. We will get more into detail on Fried later though.

Of course, the Braves want to sweep this series, or at least take three-of-four. Doing so would almost surely assure the Braves of winning the NL East, unless a collapse worse than 2011 happens.

So obviously winning at least one will make everyone feel better, and hopefully, at worst, we can get a split and kill four more days off the calendar.

With all that said, let’s get to the three takeaways from the Braves 7th straight win.

3. The Bringer of Rain should be the Gold Glove favorite

Yes, Nolan Arenado will probably win this award again, and you can’t deny how good he is at the hot corner, but Josh Donaldson has been just as good if not better this year.

In fact, Donaldson’s defensive WAR is 1.2, compared to Arenado’s 0.9 on the season.

Thursday, Josh made two outstanding plays in the infield and it doesn’t even surprise us anymore as Braves fans. We have come to expect this on a nightly basis, along with the home runs he has been adding as of late.

While manager Brian Snitker might not approve of the “umbrella celebration” that has been happening lately … he can’t argue with the fact Josh Donaldson has been bringing his leather to the ballpark all season.

As we have all mentioned on this site, Twitter, and everywhere else — I think we all agree and hope Alex Anthopolous and Donaldson’s agent Dan Lazano have either been in contact about an extension or will talk about it in the near future.

After all, its not like we have to worry about his defense at this point.