All signs point toward the return of Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 3.59 ERA), who has not pitched since getting rocked for nine runs over 1 2/3 innings August 17 at Colorado due to right elbow soreness that landed the All-Star on the disabled list.
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Two batters later Zimmerman hit a solo homer to right to build the margin to 6-4 against Atlanta starter Williams Perez, who was lifted after allowing six runs in 2 1/3 innings. Foltynewicz earned a victory in his only previous start this year against Washington, allowing four runs in 5 2/3 innings on August 12. Strasburg (15-4, 3.59 ERA) has not pitched since August 17 because of right elbow soreness.
“You’ve got to believe and think it and everybody was believing”, Nationals manager Dusty Baker said. He wasn’t trying to be a hero.
Mat Latos (1-0 with Washington), the 10th Nationals pitcher, got one out for the win. After playing the night before on ESPN, Baker chose to rest a number of starting players, including Daniel Murphy, Bryce Harper, and Jayson Werth.
“Some of my guys are walking around like zombies”, Baker said.
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2016, in Washington.
Strasburg, 28, has endured his share of injuries throughout his career but had been enjoying a strong season with a 15-4 record and 3.60 ERA.
“That was a long walk”, Baker said. “I asked him ‘are you ready?’ I asked him ‘are you psyched?’ I asked him ‘are you chomping at the bit?’ And he answered all the questions with a ‘yes, ‘ so that’s a go”.
Strasburg struck out four and walked none. The Braves grabbed a 4-1 lead in the third, but Washington answered with five runs in the bottom of the third, thanks to Anthony Rendon’s grand slam, to hold a 6-4 lead.
Washington began a stretch of 17 out of 26 games at home to close out the season, and created problems for Weber the second time he went through the order.
A cool trivia moment for casuals in itself, but it gains steam for the hardcore crowd when the following information is added to the mix: Swanson also raced around the bases for an inside-the-park sequence for his first home run as part of the Braves’ organization – with the High-A Carolina Mudcats earlier this year.
ROYALS: Catcher Salvador Perez has only a bruise on his right wrist after getting hit by a pitch Tuesday.
Murphy posted the sixth 100-RBI season in Nationals’ history (2005-present) and the first since Adam LaRoche had 100 in 2012. He is hitting.262 with seven homers and 17 RBIs in 51 games.
Two big innings were enough for the Washington Nationals to overcome the Atlanta Braves and top prospect Dansby Swanson’s inside-the-park home run Tuesday night.
Nationals: RHP A.J. Cole (1-1, 3.86) makes his fourth start of the season when the Nationals host the Phillies on Thursday.
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Swanson, the 2015 overall No. 1 draft pick, hit an inside-the-park home run in the second inning.
