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ATLANTA -- A strong and healthy Stephen Strasburg has the Washington Nationals feeling optimistic about their post-season chances. Strasburg pitched seven scoreless innings to end a long run of frustration against Atlanta, and the Nationals beat the struggling Braves 4-2 on Monday night to move to the verge of the NL East title. The Nationals can clinch the division by beating the defending champion Braves on Tuesday night. Strasburg said his teams focus is on the much bigger picture. "Its not just one win (Tuesday)," Strasburg said. "It might be to go to the playoffs, but thats not our ultimate goal. Weve got to keep playing good baseball." Strasburg (12-11) reached 200 innings for the first time. He had seven strikeouts and allowing only five hits. "He was in control," Nationals manager Matt Williams said. "He had a little bit of a tight neck tonight from sleeping, but he battled through that. So he wasnt on his A game but he sure pitched like it." The Nationals led 4-0 before the Braves scored two runs in the ninth inning. Rafael Soriano gave up Justin Uptons run-scoring double in the ninth. After Soriano walked Chris Johnson, Drew Storen yielded Christian Bethancourts single up the middle to drive in Upton. Storens wild pitch left runners on second and third, but B.J. Upton grounded out to end the game. Storen earned his sixth save. Ervin Santana (14-9) allowed two runs and only three hits, including Wilson Ramos homer, in six innings. The Braves (75-75) have lost four straight to fall to .500 for the first time since they were 1-1. They trail Pittsburgh by 4 1-2 games for the second NL wild-card spot. The frustration for the sagging Braves showed when Freddie Freeman was ejected for arguing following his strikeout to end the sixth. Freeman slammed his bat to the ground before leaving the field. Atlanta manager Fredi Gonzalez took over the argument, kicked Freemans broken bat, and was tossed by home-plate umpire Tim Timmons. "I was just trying to get out there and keep him in the game," Gonzalez said of Freeman. Gonzalez acknowledged the Braves are "running out of games." "Were all collectively -- and Im talking about our coaches to our front office staff to our players, to our fans -- we want to win," Gonzalez said. "Anything short of us getting in some kind of playoff game or play-in game, its not acceptable." Washingtons Nate Schierholtz, who pinch-hit for Bryce Harper in the fourth, had a run-scoring single off Gus Schlosser in the eighth. HARPER WOOZY Harper left the game after feeling light-headed. Williams said Harper might have an illness that has gone through the team. DROUGHT ENDS Strasburg ended a streak of eight winless starts against Atlanta. His last win over the Braves came on Aug. 21, 2012. He had been 0-3 with a 7.17 ERA against the Braves this season, including a 6-2 loss at Washington last Wednesday. TRAINERS ROOM Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman (right hamstring) is beginning a rehab schedule at the teams complex in Viera, Florida. He is expected to play three innings at first base in a simulated game on Tuesday, followed by five innings on Wednesday, a game as the DH, and then progressing to seven and nine innings. He will play different positions as he progresses. Braves: C Evan Gattis met with team doctors on Monday to determine why his strep throat symptoms have lasted longer than expected. He has missed seven games since his last start on Sept. 7. UP NEXT Nationals: Tanner Roark, who ended a three-game losing streak by beating the New York Mets on Thursday, will try for his 14th win when he faces the Braves on Tuesday. Braves: Aaron Harang will attempt to continue his 2014 success against Washington. He is 2-0 with a 0.90 ERA in three starts against the Nationals this season. Cheap Balenciaga China . Leverkusen said on Friday it signed Schmidt on a two-year contract. 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Cash spent parts of eight seasons as a catcher in the majors, retiring after the 2011 season. He joined the Toronto Blue Jays as an advance scout in 2012 and was the bullpen coach with the Cleveland Indians for the past two seasons. Kevin is passionate, genuine and dedicated, and those attributes will resonate throughout our clubhouse, said Rays president of baseball operations Matt Silverman in a statement Friday. As a catcher, a scout and a coach, he has always been a student of the game, and his communication and tireless work will put our club in a position to win, night in and night out. Cash, a Tampa native who will turn 37 years old on Saturday, will be the youngest active manager in the majors. He played 13 games for the Devil Rays in 2005 and will become the first former player to manage for the franchise. We are proud to introduce Kevin as our manager, said Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg on Friday. His energy and dynamic personality will fit seamlessly with our clubhouse.dddddddddddd We are fortunate to have such a talented individual, and Tampa Bay native, to lead our club as we strive to achieve new heights as a team and organization. The Rays interviewed nine candidates in an effort to find a replacement for Joe Maddon, who opted out of his contract in October soon after long-time executive Andrew Friedman left for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Maddon quickly found a new job with the Chicago Cubs. He had guided the Rays to a record of 754-705 with two division titles, four postseason berths and the 2008 World Series during his nine-year tenure. Cash also played for Toronto, Boston, the Yankees and Houston in a big league career that ended with a batting average of .183 and 12 home runs in 246 games. He played for World Series winning teams with Boston in 2007 and the Yankees in 2009. The other finalists for the position were longtime major league outfielder Raul Ibanez and former Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu. ' ' '