Ryan Weber, making his first start of the season, allowed home runs to Trea Turner and Chris Heisey during a five-run third inning and the Braves fell 6-4 to the Washington Nationals in the opener of a three-game series. It just wasn’t enough to get the Atlanta Braves a victory Tuesday night against the Washington Nationals. The shortstop lined a pitch from Gio Gonzalez over Turner and high off the fence in centre field, 399 feet away.
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As the ball ricocheted back into the field of play, Swanson kept motoring around the base paths and slid safely into home in plenty of time to beat the throw to give the Braves a 3-0 lead on the Nationals. Tigers catcher James McCann hit this inside-the-park home run against the Twins in 2015, which was the first of his career. Gonzalez went 3-plus innings, also surrendering 6 runs on 8 hits. James McCann of the Detroit Tigers did it past year and according to MLB.com’s David Adler, Swanson’s inside-the-parker was the 11th since 2000 that doubled as a big-league introduction. Nats outfielder Bryce Harper notched his first career 20 homer and 20 steal season with a stolen base in the 7th inning. Judging from the crowd reaction, I was just going until (third-base coach Bo Porter) was going to stop me.
Tonight’s starter for the Braves, Williams Perez, earned his only career win against Washington with six scoreless innings against the Nationals in his final start last season.
NOTES: Atlanta CF Ender Inciarte had a single in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 16 games, the longest active streak in the majors.
The Nationals took the lead with a three-run eighth inning. He also had an RBI single and an RBI groundout for a three-RBI night. Sep.
Gonzalez was ultimately charged with six runs after Matt Belisle allowed the two inherited runners to score.
Freeman has a 12-game hit streak after going 2 for 5 yesterday.
Nationals: Washington recalled INF Wilmer Difo and RHP Lucas Giolito from Triple-A Syracuse.
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With yesterday’s loss, Atlanta is 2-12 against Washington this season, and the Braves have lost 16 of its last 17 and 21 of the last 23 in Nationals Park. He has been on the disabled list since August 22, retroactive to August 21, with right elbow soreness and could pitch Wednesday, according to manager Dusty Baker …
