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WASHINGTON -- Order another round for Atlanta Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez, who has learned that a winning streak can be tough to swallow. The Braves won their 13th straight Wednesday night, summarily dismissing the Washington Nationals 6-3 to complete a three-game sweep and take a staggering-for-early-August 15 1/2-game lead in the NL East. Now Gonzalez will have to keep drinking up. It turns out that the streak happened to begin on the day that bullpen coach Eddie Perez first gave the manager some sort of protein drink. Gonzalez hates the taste, but he cant stop drinking it with his team on such a roll; sure enough, he was sipping the concoction from a cup in the dugout a couple of hours before Wednesdays game. "They may be giving me poop. I dont even know what it is," Gonzalez said. "But Ive been drinking them for 13 days in a row now. Were superstitious, you know." Maybe there are some four-leafs clovers stashed in the clubhouse as well, the way the Braves have been playing. While they have a ways to go before they can mathematically clinch, this week has served as a psychological clincher that only could be undone by a monumental collapse. "We came in here and we let em know," first baseman Freddie Freeman said. "Were here to stay." Jason Heyward singled and Justin Upton doubled in a three-run eighth inning, Upton also homered, and Braves starter Kris Medlen (9-10) allowed three runs and three hits over seven innings. Craig Kimbrel pitched the ninth for his 36th save, working out of a bases loaded jam by getting Wilson Ramos to line out to right to end the game. The eighth-inning runs came with two outs off relievers Ryan Mattheus (0-1) and Ian Krol as the Nationals lost their fourth straight and sixth of their last eight. The defending division champs scored only six runs in the three games and are losing hope for an alternate path to the post-season as well, falling nine games off the wild card pace. "Lot of ground to make up, but you never know what can happen in this game," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said. "If nothing else, get our pride back by playing better." The game was played nicely by both sides one night after a fastball to Bryce Harpers thigh cleared both benches and led to a public spat between the clubs official Twitter feeds. Braves general manager Frank Wren said before the game that a tweet directed at Harper was "an inappropriate attempt at humour." When asked about any possible retaliation, Johnson said it would be "just baseball as usual" before flashing a smile. As it turned out, the only confrontation involving Harper was between the young slugger and his own manager, when the two bickered in the dugout over whether Harper should come out of the game because of a nagging knee injury. "Yeah, he was checking on my leg and asking how I felt," Harper said. "I just told him I felt fine and I dont want him to take me out." While the game passed without incident between the two teams -- no one was hit by a pitch -- the saga might not be over. The teams play six more times this season, including a three-game series next week in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Gonzalez has to stomach another protein shake. The good news: The Braves have Thursday off before opening a homestand. "At least," Gonzalez said, "I get tomorrow off with the shakes." Notes: Andrelton Simmons started the rally in the eighth with a two-out double off Mattheus. After a walk to a pinch hitter, Heyward singled in a run off Krol. Upton followed with a two-run double to the left-field corner. ... Braves CF B.J. Upton has his first four-hit game of the season to raise his average to a season-high .198. ... Nationals RHP Tanner Roark made his major league debut with two scoreless innings. He also made a superb defensive play, diving to catch Medlens sacrifice bunt attempt and throwing to first for a double play. ... 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But I felt great.As a result, Griffin says he finally has peace of mind as the Clippers approach their season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers in Portland on Thursday.Playing back-to-backs or having several hard days of practice in a row and then a game and still feeling fine the next day, still being able to get all my work in and do even more -- its reassuring, Griffin said.Last season, the five-time All-Star missed 47 games during the regular season with a tear in his left quadriceps tendon and a broken right hand after an altercation in January with a team equipment manager, which subsequently resulted in Griffin being suspended for four games.Griffins season ended early when he aggravated the left quadriceps injury in Game 4 of the Clippers first-round playoff series against the Trail Blazers.Coach Doc Rivers, who initially feared he would have to limit Griffins minutes to start the season, added that he plans on playing Griffin with no minutes restrictions.Hes been far better [than I anticipated]. Theres no holding backk.dddddddddddd You dont have to, Rivers said. Just logically thinking going into the year, you thought you may have to. But you dont. That tells you the superb athlete he is, that tells you where his health is, and its all good news for us.Griffin averaged 16.2 points on 55.4 percent shooting to go along with 5.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals in 23.1 minutes per game during the preseason.To prevent injury, Griffin adjusted his offseason routine to strengthen his lower body, particularly his legs, which he says hes gone away from in recent seasons.Every year I find different things I like and some things I discard, Griffin said. I definitely changed my routine a little bit as far as the work I do before I get out on the court ... just activating everything -- probably a little heavier in the legs. The past few years Ive gotten away from it a little bit, but I got back on it this summer.Rivers says Griffins work ethic is the primary reason he was able to rehab quickly and enter the season with confidence.Hes worked. Blake works so hard, Rivers said. Sometimes you put enough work in that you take away any insecurities you may have with your body because youve tested it in every way possible. He doesnt even think about it. The only time he thinks about it is when [the media] brings it up. ' ' '