Atlanta Braves Duel Nats in DC; Drop Game Two 7-6 After 9th Inning Rally Falls Short

Atlanta Braves drop game two in the District; Lose 7-6 to Nationals after 9th inning rally comes up short

The Atlanta Braves looked to get another win in the Nation’s capital Saturday night. But on a hot, muggy night in the District, the bats went ice cold.

Pitching for the Braves this night was Rob Whalen. On the hill for the Nats was Reynaldo Lopez. Lopez cooled off the Braves hitters and held them to 5 hits and 1 run over 7 innings.

The lone run came on a Freddie Freeman home run in the first; Freeman’s 23rd of the year and tied his career high. He’ll obviously set a career high in home runs this year.

Braves hurler Rob Whalen had decent outing, but still looks like he has some things to get right. Whalen gave up a couple of runs in the 1st and 3rd innings. A 2-run home run to Daniel Murphy in the first gave the Nats a 2-1 lead.

In the third, Whalen surrendered another home run to Nats rookie stud Trea Turner, his 3rd of the year. So far in the first two games of the series, the Braves have yet to figure this kid out.

In the Nats half of the 5th, Whalen gave up a triple to Ben Revere, his second on the night, to score Turner who singled prior to Revere. Murphy hurt Whalen and the Braves again with a ground out to score Revere from third. that pushed the score to 6-1 Nats.

The fifth inning ended the night for Whalen. That allowed another Braves pitcher to make his Major League debut. Jason Hursh came on to start the sixth. He gave up a single to Jayson Werth, but got Nats rookie Brian Goodwin to go down swinging for his first career strikeout.

Washington added to the lead in the seventh. After the Werth single and a wild pitch that moved him up to second, Danny Espinoza drove him in with a base hit making it 7-1.

Chaz Roe, the Atlanta Braves recent waiver claim from Baltimore, made his Braves debut in the 7th. Roe was very effective getting two ground outs and a line out, keeping the Nats off the board.

The Braves were able to scratch across a run in the 8th with an RBI single by Matt Kemp. A line out by Nick Markakis got Freeman doubled off at second and essentially killed the rally.

The Ninth Inning

Braves make it interesting in the ninth. Run scoring singles from Jeff Francoeur and Ender Inciarte made it 7-4 with no outs.

Erick Aybar, with no one out, roped a gapper that plated Frenchy and Inciarte to bring the score 7-6 in the ninth. Aybar was called out trying to stretch it to a triple. A review of the call stood.

Freeman lined out to center and Kemp grounded out to shortstop to end the game, but not after making it a little interesting. Too little, too late as they say.

Atlanta goes for a series win Sunday afternoon’s rubber match in what surely will be a very hot day. Tyrell Jenkins (2-2, 3.92) makes the start for the Braves and Nats hurler Tanner Roark (12-6, 2.88) toes the slab for the Nats.

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