(My Sportsbook) - Kenshin Kawakami makes his major league debut tonight, as the Atlanta Braves continue their three-game series with the Washington Nationals at Turner Field.

Kawakami, who is the first Japanese-born player in the history of the Braves, was 9-5 this past season with a 2.30 earned run average in 20 games (16 starts) for the Chunichi Dragons, but missed most of September with a strained back.

The 33-year-old righty, who won 112 games in 11 seasons in Japan, earned MVP honors, as well as the Sawamura Award -- Japan's equivalent to the Cy Young -- in 2004 after going 17-7 with a 3.32 ERA.

Opposing Kawakami will be left-hander John Lannan, who was roughed up in his initial start of 2009. Lannan was tagged with the loss on Monday against the Florida Marlins, as he was rocked for six runs and six hits in just three innings.

Lannan, though, is 2-1 lifetime against the Braves with a 3.71 ERA in three starts.

On Friday, Kelly Johnson had three hits, including the single that scored Jordan Schafer in the 10th inning, as Atlanta won its home opener, 6-5. Yunel Escobar had three hits, including a three-run homer, while Brian McCann doubled three times and had an RBI for the Braves, who have won three of their first four games to begin the season.

The game lasted exactly six hours, including a 2- hour, 2-minute rain delay.

Derek Lowe started for the Braves and lasted three-plus innings, allowing four hits and a run. He also walked two and had six strikeouts, but was removed after walking Jesus Flores to start the fourth inning when the rain became heavy and the game went into a delay.

Atlanta used eight pitchers, with Jorge Campillo (1-0) getting the win after throwing the 10th inning.

Ryan Zimmerman had a pair of doubles and drove in two runs, but the Nationals left 16 men on base to remain winless on the season. Elijah Dukes added three hits in defeat.

The Nationals' 0-4 start is the team's worst since opening with seven consecutive losses in 1998, when the franchise was based in Montreal.

Washington tied the game off of Atlanta closer Mike Gonzalez in the ninth, but the Braves won the game the following frame. Schafer led off with a single to left. He advanced to second on an Omar Infante groundout and scored on Johnson's base hit to right off Joe Beimel (0-1).

Washington took 12 of its 18 matchups with the Braves last season, including wins in five of the nine meetings in Atlanta.