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WASHINGTON -- Gavin Floyd had never heard the name of the piece of bone he broke inside his elbow. Manager Fredi Gonzalez didnt even try to pronounce it. But no matter how you say "olecranon," it spells more bad news for the Atlanta Braves pitching staff. Floyd, recently recovered from elbow ligament replacement surgery, fractured the bony tip of the forearm bone that sticks out behind the elbow when he threw a curveball to lead off the seventh inning of Thursday nights 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals. "It was fine until that last pitch," Floyd said. "I felt a pop." Its the latest setback for an injury-riddled staff that lost starters Kris Medlen and Brandon Beachy and reliever Cory Gearrin to Tommy John surgery during spring training, upending a major plank in the Braves plans to repeat as NL East champions. "Its been a tough one, ever since spring training," third baseman Chris Johnson said. "But weve got to keep moving forward. Hopefully its nothing too bad and we can get him back soon." Floyd will return to Atlanta on Friday to be examined by team doctors. The injury is so rare that the Braves couldnt provide even a guess of a timetable for his return. A similar injury ended the career of Detroit Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya in 2010. "In the big picture, I think hes going to be OK," Gonzalez said. Floyd flexed his pitching arm awkwardly after the fateful pitch, which turned into a long foul ball by Jayson Werth down the left field line. After an examination by the Braves trainer on the mound, Floyd left the game for reliever Anthony Varvaro. "It was a weird spot," Floyd said. "It was a little sore before, but not in the area that I had surgery." Floyd (2-2) was making his ninth start since recovering from Tommy John surgery, but Gonzalez said the two injuries are not related. "What a shame," Gonzalez said. "The guy comes all the way back from Tommy John. ... I feel for the young man." Floyd had been working on a two-hit shutout. He threw only 64 pitches, walking one and striking out six to drop his ERA to 2.65 in his first season with Atlanta. "Thats the best Ive seen him look," Johnson said. "For those first six innings, he was dealing, he was nasty, so thats really a tough break." Floyds career record is 72-72 over 11 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox and Braves. "I felt like I was getting better and better, so its definitely disappointing," Floyd said. "Definitely not what I envisioned to happen. I havent had any pain since the surgery." The win moved the Braves within a half-game of the first-place Nationals atop the NL East as the division rivals opened a four-game series. Atlanta had been trending downward recently, losing eight of 12 entering the series. Johnson drove in all three of the Braves runs, two on a bases-loaded single in the fourth and another on a line drive that smacked reliever Jerry Blevins left knee in the eighth. Blevins was examined by the Nationals trainer but remained in the game to face one more batter. Jordan Zimmermann (5-4), coming off consecutive complete games, had his second straight hard-luck start for the Nationals. He lost 1-0 to Lance Lynn and the St. Louis Cardinals last Friday, and this time he allowed only two runs and seven hits through seven innings. Zimmermann has also had Tommy John surgery and naturally empathized with Floyd. "You never want another pitcher to get injured. I dont know what really happened," Zimmermann said. "Obviously, it was bad enough for him to come out of the game. Hopefully, hell be all right." NOTES: Evan Gattis extended his hitting streak to 18 games -- the longest active streak in the majors and best ever by a Braves catcher. ... Craig Kimbrel picked up his 21st save for the Braves, who have won 23 of 30 against the Nationals. ... Nationals OF Bryce Harper took on-field batting practice before the game for the first time since undergoing thumb surgery last month. Hes expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment next week before re-joining the team in mid-July. . Nationals Manager Matt Williams said C Wilson Ramos (strained right hamstring) should be ready to re-join the team when eligible to come off of the DL June 26. Ramos will begin a rehab assignment over the weekend or the beginning of next week. . Braves OF Justin Upton was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game with an inner ear ailment causing dizziness, but he appeared as pinch-hitter in the eighth inning and grounded out. . The Braves placed RHP Pedro Beato on the DL with a sore right elbow. He was called up to the Braves earlier this week and pitched in relief both Tuesday and Wednesday. The Braves promoted RHP Juan Jaime from Triple-A Gwinnett, his first call-up to the majors. Puma Scarpe In Offerta . Martin Reway and David Griger both recorded four points with a goal and three assists each. Mario Lunter, Daniel Gachulinec and Stanislav Horansky also scored for Slovakia (1-0). Dominik Kahun had both goals for Germany (0-2), who lost its opening match to Canada 7-2 on Thursday. Puma Scarpe Sito Ufficiale ., will experience this week. A year in which the Canadian curling championship has been pushed forward a week to accommodate the Winter Olympics was deemed the perfect chance to stage the event in Montreal for the first time since 1979. http://www.pumascontate.it/ . -- Atlanta Braves pitcher Tommy Hanson is being checked for a possible concussion after blowing a tire on his way to the first workout of spring training. Puma Scontate Italia . Granada goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez saved Morenos first two headers from corner kicks taken by Sergio Garcia, but the defender beat him on his third try after Garcia found Moreno unmarked at the near post in the 78th minute. Scarpe Puma Uomo Scontate . The injury could land Machado on the 15-day disabled list, but its not as serious as it looked on Monday night, when the third baseman crumpled in a heap at the plate after taking an awkward swing in a game against the New York Yankees.TORONTO - For over a month Nando De Colo was Torontos forgotten man, an afterthought at the bottom of a playoff-bound roster, a masked phantom lurking on the end of the Raptors bench. Who was he and why was he brought here? As the visitors locker room cleared out after Saturdays win in Milwaukee, a reporter approached De Colo, who was suddenly making an impact in an expanded role for his new, undermanned club. Curious about the origins of his first name, which isnt a traditional French moniker, said reporter asked the Raptors guard where it came from. "It came from my parents," he replied, straight-faced, flaunting a quick wit we didnt know he had. Up until last week we didnt know much about him at all. The acquisition of De Colo, trickling in minutes after the trade deadline passed, went under the radar. A player from the end of one bench exchanged for a player on the end of another. Masai Ujiri opted to hold onto Kyle Lowry and keep the band together, that was the headline. Austin Daye for De Colo was a footnote. Now, six weeks later, the move is owed some belated acknowledgement. Ujiri was familiar with De Colo having seen him play overseas and with the Spurs. He knew what he was getting. Dwane Casey was less acquainted with the second-year combo guard but was equally as intrigued by his intangibles and has been looking for a way to find him more playing time. With Lowry resting a sore knee, Casey has been provided that opportunity and De Colo, to his credit, is taking advantage of it. "Its what I was expecting and what we needed and wanted, as far as another ball handler," Casey told TSN.ca. "That was the main thing we saw. We needed another guy that can handle the ball, to create, to be a passer, a facilitator, a transporter of the ball, to get it across the court. "Hes done that." In extended minutes, backing up and playing alongside temporary starter Greivis Vasquez, De Colo has been a sparkplug coming in off the bench to begin the month of April. Over the last two games hes tallied 11 assists to just three turnovers in 42 minutes of action. After easing into his new surroundings, De Colo no longer appears reluctant to let it fly. Hes shooting and scoring with confidence, something he lacked upon arriving in Toronto, playing sporadically last month. "Hes still learning our system," said Casey, "still getting comfortable and the more he gets comfortable the more hes going to knock down shots. I think were seeing that now." The easy explanation for his confidence boost is the increased playing time that has come as a result of Lowrys injury.dddddddddddd "Im finding a rhythm," said De Colo, who has attempted 16 shots over the last three games, the same number he hoisted in his first 14 contests with the Raptors. "Im in shape after adjusting to find a rhythm of the game with a new team. Now I just try to play my game, try to be aggressive like everybody wants on the team and since then Ive been good." Since arriving from the Spurs, De Colo has been touted for his basketball intellect and decision-making ability. Teammates and coaches have cited his time playing for the venerable Gregg Popovich with a world-class organization in San Antonio, as well as his experience overseas - where he competed professionally from the age of 19 - and with the French national team. In a year and a half with the Spurs he was sent back and forth from the NBA Development League an astonishing total of nine times, a product of the close proximity between San Antonio and its D-League affiliate in Austin. More so than the path hes traveled to get here, De Colo credits his approach. "I think its something Ive always had in my game," he said. "I try to see what happens and make good decisions. I know I can pass the ball. I must be aggressive on this kind of team and I have to take the open shot." Casey has entrusted De Colo to run his offence, immediately vaulting him over the young Julyan Stone and Dwight Buycks in Torontos backcourt rotation. When Lowry makes his return - hes expected to be cleared this week - the Raptors head coach has a decision to make. Can he afford to juggle minutes for three point guards going into the playoffs or does De Colo go back to the end of the bench? Although Casey has been most impressed with him as the primary ball handler, its conceivable that the Raptors could feature more two point guard lineups in the postseason, when the defence is likely to apply more pressure on Lowry. Of equal importance, the Raptors need to find out what they have in De Colo, a free agent at the end of the season. If Lowry is retained this summer and Vasquez - a restricted free agent - proves too expensive, De Colo may make more sense as an affordable backup, assuming he continues to impress. All of a sudden, De Colo has become more than late-season bench fodder. The Raptors under-the-radar deadline acquisition has helped keep them afloat in the absence of their most important player and could continue paying out come playoff time, and beyond. Nando is a name worth remembering. ' ' '