ATLANTA - The Braves packed up their lockers, exchanged phone numbers and started looking ahead to next season with a lot more hope than they had a year ago.

ATLANTA --- The Washington Nationals completed a dismal season with a glimmer of hope. The Atlanta Braves finished a promising year with a brutal final week.

ATLANTA --- The Washington Nationals are playing as if they were contenders the last week of the season, not the team that has the worst record in the majors.

ATLANTA --- Rookie Ian Desmond homered, tripled and drove in three runs and the Washington Nationals kept up their strong finish to a dismal season by beating the Atlanta Braves 6-3 Friday night.

ATLANTA --- The only champagne in Atlanta's clubhouse was intended for an individual milestone.

ATLANTA --- Ricky Nolasco struck out nine Atlanta Braves in a row and set a Marlins record with 16 strikeouts -- the most by a major league pitcher in more than two years -- in Florida's 5-4 victory Wednesday night.

ATLANTA --- Jorge Cantu hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh and the Florida Marlins damaged Atlanta's playoff hopes, winning 5-4 on Tuesday night to snap the Braves' seven-game winning streak.

ATLANTA - Jair Jurrjens pitched seven outstanding innings, Chipper Jones homered and the Atlanta Braves beat Florida 4-0 Monday night for their 15th win in 17 games, a stretch that has lifted them into playoff contention with less than a week to go in the regular season.

WASHINGTON --- The Atlanta Braves have forced their way into the playoff picture unburdened by the usual late-season nerves and anxieties. They threw all that stuff out long ago, back when they were so far behind they thought they were pretty much out of it.

WASHINGTON --- Bobby Cox sat in his chair, his post-game victory cigar lit and watched a game on television.

NEW YORK --- After 50 years in baseball, Bobby Cox figured the only way he would ever give up managing was to pick a specific time and announce it publicly.

NEW YORK --- Tim Hudson pitched six effective innings for his second win since major elbow surgery and the Atlanta Braves beat the New York Mets 5-2 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep.

NEW YORK --- Jair Jurrjens dominated a feeble New York Mets lineup again and Yunel Escobar hit a two-run single, sending the Atlanta Braves to a 3-1 victory Tuesday night.