After having two games postponed against the Mets, the Braves came into a crucial four-game home slate against the Nationals. Coming off of a 13-2 loss to the Mets, the Braves needed to step up in another NL East matchup to gain ground in the division.
The first game on Monday was different from the norm during this season for the Braves. After a shut-out first inning for starting pitcher Charlie Morton, the offense came early with outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. scoring the first run on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Dansby Swanson, followed by a two-run single by catcher William Contreras, sending home second baseman Ozzie Albies and first baseman Freddie Freeman.
Morton’s strong second inning going three up, three down led to a home run for Acuña Jr. to extend the lead to 4-0, his 16th of the season. This lead held on until the fourth inning, when the Nationals put together a two-run home run by first baseman Josh Bell and an RBI single by starting pitcher Joe Ross to make it a one-run game. Morton was able to escape the inning and finish the fifth before Braves manager Brian Snitker went to the bullpen.
For one of the few times in 2021, the Braves bullpen pitched a shut-out in a close game, complemented by an RBI single by outfielder Guillermo Heredia in the sixth inning that would be the final score of the game, winning 5-3. Washington wouldn’t be so kind to Atlanta on Tuesday and Wednesday, though.
In the second game, the Braves watched Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg go out with a right shoulder injury, something that has been nagging him since April when he was on the IL. Atlanta took the opportunity, striking first on an RBI single by Albies. Braves starter Max Fried had a difficult day, giving up five earned runs before he was relieved after 3.2 innings. The Braves had a brief three-run flurry in the fifth inning, including Acuña Jr’s 17th homer of the season but the Nationals reacted with a three-run seventh against relief pitcher Tyler Matzek to take a commanding 9-4 lead. Outfielder Juan Soto added to the lead with a two-run home run off of relief pitcher Grant Dayton and that would be the nail in the coffin on an 11-6 loss.
After a blowout loss on Tuesday, the Braves lost in their normal fashion on Wednesday in a 5-3 finish. Both teams traded runs in the second inning on an RBI single by Washington second baseman Starlin Castro, which was answered by a home run by Swanson to make it a 1-1 game. Starting pitcher Drew Smyly had a strong outing until a two-run homer for Soto opened the game up for the Nationals. Smyly finished with six strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
The Braves responded in the seventh inning with a timely two-run single for Albies, sending home Freeman and pinch hitter Abraham Almonte to tie the game again at 3-3. After the rally, the Atlanta bullpen collapsed late, with relief pitcher A.J. Minter gave up a go-ahead home run to catcher Yan Gomes which would lead to Minter to a loss on the night. Washington added salt to the wound in the ninth, with a single by shortstop Trea Turner to make it a 5-3 win for the Nationals.
In a must-win game on Thursday, the Braves stepped up to the plate with a 5-1 win, led by starting pitcher Tucker Davidson who was called up in the morning to start. Davidson did not disappoint, giving up only a single hit in a shut-out 5.2 innings before being relieved while adding five strikeouts during his start.
The Braves’ offense was quiet until the sixth inning when Albies delivered a single when an error by the Washington defense allowed Acuña Jr. to get home for the first run of the game. Third baseman Austin Riley followed the score with an RBI double which delivered Albies to home. Swanson’s 500th career hit was a big one, with a two-run shot to cap off a four-run inning for the Braves to take a commanding 4-0 lead.
Embed from Getty ImagesAlbies and Acuña Jr. came together to put in another run thanks to a double to right field by Albies to take a 5-0 lead in the seventh. The Braves were close to a shutout before closing pitcher Will Smith gave up an RBI single to catcher Alex Avila but that would be the only run for the Nationals.
The Braves ended up tying the home series and with the win on Thursday, moved up to sole-second in the NL East with a 26-28 record this season. The team will stay in Atlanta and welcome their 2020 NLCS opponent in the Dodgers for a three-game homestand with a chance to get back to .500 on the year.
