NL East: Braves beat Nats; Strasburg rehabs again

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Strasburg strong again
HARRISBURG,Pa. -- Stephen Strasburg allowed one hit over six shutout inningsThursday night for Double A Harrisburg in what was expected to be hisfinal minor league rehab start before he returns to the WashingtonNationals.

Featuring a fastball that hit 99 mph, the No. 1 pickfrom the 2009 draft left with Harrisburg leading Portland 9-0. Hestruck out four and threw 70 pitches, 53 for strikes.

Dan Butlerhad the only hit off Strasburg, a leadoff double to left in the sixth.The right-hander helped himself with his glove on the next play,fielding a comebacker and catching Butler wandering too far off secondto start a rundown for an out.

It was Strasburg's sixth rehabappearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnarcollateral ligament in his pitching elbow.

Braves 5, Nationals 2

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ATLANTA -- Tim Hudson gave the Braves' ailing rotation a lift andAtlanta got home runs from Brian McCann and Chipper Jones in a 5-2victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday night.

The Braves are 8 1-2 games ahead of St. Louis in the NL wild-card racebut face growing concerns about the health of their rotation.

Right-hander Jair Jurrjens said Thursday an MRI on his sore right kneeshowed a bone bruise and he plans to see a specialist. Jurrjens couldjoin right-hander Tommy Hanson (sore right shoulder) on the disabledlist.

Hudson (14-8) allowed one run and five hits in six innings whilepassing Jurrjens for the team lead in wins. Jonny Venters gave up a runin the eighth before striking out two batters with the bases loaded.

Ramirez considering surgery
NEW YORK -- Injured Marlins star Hanley Ramirez has left shoulder instability and the shortstop is contemplating off-season surgery.

Florida president Larry Beinfest says there will be no decision on a course of action, or if Ramirez will play again this season, until the three-time All-Star sees Marlins Dr. Lee Kaplan this weekend.

Ramirez has been out since Aug. 2 and had a setback this week while playing for Class-A Jupiter. He had an MRI on Wednesday.

The .306 career hitter is having a down season, batting just .243 with 10 homers and 45 RBIs.

The Marlins faced the New York Mets on Thursday night.
Mets 7, Marlins 5

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NEW YORK -- Miguel Batista pitched six serviceable innings to earn his 100th win, David Wright hit a two-run single in a four-run third against the bumbling Marlins and the New York Mets hung on to beat Florida 7-5 Thursday night.

Making his first start since April 22 for St. Louis, the 40-year-old Batista scattered six hits while becoming the third active pitcher to play for at least 10 teams. Filling in for injured Jonathon Niese, Batista induced two double-play grounders in helping New York take four of five in a series against its NL East rival.

Emilio Bonifacio had three hits and three RBIs for Florida, including a two-run single during a three-run ninth. But the Marlins committed three errors in losing for the 20th time in 25 games.
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