ATLANTA -- Matt Wisler is trying to close out the season on a strong note after struggling at times for the Atlanta Braves.Ive had my ups and downs this year, he said. Ive shown that I can be really good and Ive shown I can be really bad. Its just a matter of not taking any start for granted.Adonis Garcia drove in three runs, Wisler pitched five-plus innings and Atlanta beat the Washington Nationals 6-2 in a rain-shortened game Sunday.The game was official with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. The two delays totaled 2 hours, 57 minutes.Washington has dropped two straight and needs any combination of six Nationals wins and six New York Mets losses to earn its third NL East title in five years.After a 1-hour, 7-minute delay in the top of the sixth, the Braves scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 6-2 on Garcias two-run single and Freddie Freemans RBI double.Wisler (7-12) allowed two runs, five hits and struck out two in 5 2/3 innings to earn the win.He faced a limited lineup as Nationals manager Dusty Baker gave sluggers Daniel Murphy and Anthony Rendon the day off and used Ryan Zimmerman as a pinch-hitter.Today I thought I came out aggressively, made them put the ball in play, Wisler said. They were swinging kind of early. They werent squaring up a lot of balls like they were the last game (he faced them).Joe Ross (7-5), reinstated from the disabled list after missing 66 games with right shoulder inflammation, took the loss. Ross, on a pitch count, allowed one run and six hits, one run and struck out five in three innings. It was his first start since July 2.Its a welcomed sight to see him back, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said.Ross trailed 1-0 in the second on Jace Petersons RBI single. He gave up three singles to begin the third, but retired the next three batters to escape the jam.Pitched myself into a jam and was able to work out of in the third, Ross said. Felt good, and thats the main thing I was concerned with today. I could have kept pitching, but probably best to keep it to three innings.Reynaldo Lopez took over in the fourth and trailed 3-0 on Dansby Swansons RBI double and Garcias RBI single.Washington made it 3-2 in the sixth. Trea Turner tripled and Jayson Werth doubled off Wisler. After the first delay ended, Bryce Harpers single off Ian Krol scored Werth.Wisler is 3-3 with a 4.83 in five career starts and one relief appearance against Washington.The Nationals went 15-4 against Atlanta this season and 36-13 in the series since June 21, 2014. They played their last game at Turner Field with the NL-worst Braves moving to a new ballpark next year.STILL STREAKINGIn 13 games against Atlanta, Turner hit .475 with five doubles, two triples, six homers, 16 RBI, seven stolen bases and 20 runs scored. ... Freeman went 2 for 3 and has a 22-game hitting streak and has reached safely in 38 straight games. Both are career highs and rank first in the majors among active streaks. ... Braves CF Ender Inciarte went 1 for 3 and leads the majors with 88 hits since the All-Star break.SWOON STOPSHarper ended a stretch of 26 plate appearances without a hit, though he did have nine walks over the span. He had two hits in 29 at-bats over his previous 10 games.UP NEXTWashington RHP A.J. Cole (1-2) is scheduled to make his sixth start and first in his career against Miami. Braves RHP Aaron Blair (0-6) is set to start at the New York Mets. The rookie has an 8.23 ERA in 12 starts and is 0-2 with an 8.04 ERA in three starts against the Mets. Wholesale Vikings Jerseys . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Vikings Jerseys Store . Scott Kazmir allowed four hits in seven shutout innings, Michael Brantley hit a two-run homer in a three-run first inning and the Indians maintained their hold on an AL wild-card spot with a 4-1 win over the Houston Astros on Saturday night. http://www.authenticvikingsshopnfl.com/ade-aruna-jersey/ . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. Vikings Stitched Jerseys . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. 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ATLANTA -- Chris Petersen chatted up Nick Saban while they waited to pose with the championship trophy, looking for any bit of insight that might help the College Football Playoffs rookie coach.No such luck.You know, Petersen said, breaking into a grin, hes pretty tight-lipped.The four playoff coaches were all together Thursday for a nationally televised awards show at the College Football Hall of Fame, not far from the stadium where Petersens Washington Huskies will face Sabans defending national champions, the top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide, in the Peach Bowl semifinal game on New Years Eve.The other semifinal matches Ohio State, coached by Urban Meyer, against Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers in the Fiesta Bowl.Petersen couldnt help but notice he was only one on the stage who hasnt been to the playoff. Alabama will be appearing for the third straight year, having beaten Clemson last season in a thrilling title game . Two seasons ago, Meyers Buckeyes won the championship after knocking off Alabama in the semifinals.Im the rookie up here, Petersen said. Ive just got my eyes wide open and trying to echo what they say and do.If he learned anything from Saban, it was not to say much of anything.The Alabama coach was asked a couple of questions about offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, who is reportedly in line to become the next head coach at Houston.I dont think anything has been decided about that officially, Saban said, with that last word effectively turning it into a non-denial denial. Im sure the University of Houston will make an announcement about who their coach is when theyre ready to do that.When pressed on whether Kiffin would remain at Alabama through the playoff, which culminates with the Jan. 10 title game in Tampa, Saban turned testy.We will make that decision when we have something to make a decision about, Saban said. Well do whats in the best interest of Lane, our program, our players, but I would think that he would want to finish the season with us. I cant speak to that right now. ... Im not going to answer any more questions about hypothetical situations.Petersen guided the Huskies to a Pac-12 title and a pplayoff spot in just his third year on the job.dddddddddddd. He previously coached at Boise State, where his reputation for a gambling style and major upsets was established in his very first season with a 43-42 victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.The Broncos sent the game to overtime with a 50-yard hook-and-lateral touchdown in the closing seconds of regulation, and then won it in overtime with another trick play on a 2-point conversion.Petersen might need some similar tactics to knock off the mighty Crimson Tide, which will be playing close to home after going 13-0 during the regular season, capped off by a 54-16 rout of Florida in the Southeastern Conference championship game.I know about their offense and I know about their defense, he said. Then I put on their special teams, and I got more depressed. Theyve got really good players and they dont give you anything.Meyer said he was very skeptical about the playoff system in the beginning, but hes now a big fan. Its certainly worked out well for the Buckeyes, who improbably won it all two years ago with a third-string quarterback and got in again this year without even winning their division in the Big Ten .Like most everyone else, I just listened to the people who thought they knew, and I didnt find out until the announcement, Meyer said.He watched it from a maternity ward, where his grandson was born a few hours before selection committee announced its decision.It was a great day, Meter said. That was a day you put in the win column.Despite a stunning home loss to Pittsburgh, Swinneys team is getting another shot at the title. The Tigers came up just short a season ago, falling to Alabama 45-40.We lost to a great football team, Swinney said. A great experience for our guys, and Im glad that were getting an opportunity to go compete again.---Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . 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