In a few weeks, the Washington Nationals, barring a historic collapse, will set their starting rotation for the National League Division Series. One is Joe Ross, but he hasn’t pitched in the majors since being placed on the disabled list July 2.
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Taylor scored the go-ahead run on an error in the last of the eighth and the Washington Nationals broke a tie with three runs that inning to beat the Atlanta Braves 9-7 on Tuesday. It just wasn’t enough to get the Atlanta Braves a victory Tuesday night against the Washington Nationals. He also had inside-the-park home runs at Class A Carolina (also his first of the season) and at Class AA Mississippi. He had three hits and three RBIs, and the Nats won for the 12th time in 14 meetings against Atlanta this season. The Braves (54-85) lost for just the second time in eight games one day after being eliminated from postseason play. Gonzalez got a run back himself in the bottom of the second inning with a two-out single up the middle that scored Rendon, who got hit by a pitch to begin the inning.
But the Braves responded in the third as Freddie Freeman had an RBI single to make it 4-1 and extend his hitting streak to 13 straight games. Gonzalez went 3-plus innings, also surrendering 6 runs on 8 hits.
Ryan Zimmerman followed one out later with a solo shot to right that cleared the out-of-town scoreboard and knocked Williams Perez out of the game. The combination of his speed, a ideal carom off the wall in right-center and Swanson’s all-or-nothing path around the bases made this happen, as did the fact that there were two outs in the inning and the Braves’ starter, Williams Perez, was waiting in the on-deck circle – a flawless context in which to go for it.
The first overall pick in 2015, Swanson lined a pitch from Gio Gonzalez over Trea Turner and high off the center-field fence, 399 feet away. The ball caromed toward the infield, and Swanson slid home headfirst, easily beating the throw by Bryce Harper. Swanson has major-league home run No. 1 and the hope in Atlanta is that it’s the first of many in a long and successful stint as the Braves shortstop.
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Swanson’s was the first Braves inside-the-park home run since Wes Helms somehow accomplished the feat in 2001 (a quick search for video proof was unfruitful). Weber allowed five runs in three innings as the Braves had a six-game winning streak snapped.
