MLB NEWS

Hot Braves insist they aren’t scoreboard watching

The Sports Xchange

August 20, 2014 at 1:45 am.

Aug 18, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Atlanta Braves catcher Gerald Laird (11) and third baseman Chris Johnson (right) celebrate after both players scored runs against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the first inning at PNC Park. (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)

PITTSBURGH — The Atlanta Braves insist they are not scoreboard watching, even though it’s nearly late August.

“We’re not trying to look at anybody,” third baseman Chris Johnson said. “I think if we keep playing the way we’ve been playing, we’ll get in the playoffs, no matter where it’s at. I think if we play the way we’re capable of playing, it doesn’t matter what spot we get in, we’re going to get in. That’s how we feel.”

The Braves look like a team worthy of the postseason at the moment. They are on a five-game winning streak after routing the Pirates 11-3 on Tuesday night at Pittsburgh.

The streak has helped the Braves draw within one-half game of the San Francisco Giants for the second National League wild card.

However, manager Fredi Gonzalez says the only race that matters to him at this point is the National League East. The Braves’ chances aren’t looking so great in that one as they trail the Washington Nationals by six games.

“You want to get into the playoffs any way you can but, ideally, you’d like to avoid the one-and-down deal in the wild card game,” said Gonzalez, whose team lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the inaugural NL wild card two years ago.”

The Nationals, though, are even hotter than the Braves. They won their eighth straight game Tuesday night when they downed the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks 8-1.

The Braves have six games remaining against the Nationals, three at Washington from Sept. 8-10 and three at Atlanta from Sept. 15-17.

“We can’t control how they play,” Braves shortstop Andrelton Simmons said. “We’ve got to play the best baseball we can, and at the end of the season see where that takes us. Hopefully we win the division. That’s the goal. But you settle with whatever you get, because if they play perfect baseball and win every single game, you can’t control that.”