Atlanta Braves Take Series From Nationals in a Downpour
By Fred Owens
The game started as a sunny Sunday afternoon series decider and ended with the Atlanta Braves beating the Nationals 6-2 in a downpour 7 2/3 innings and two long rain delays later.
After his last start against the Atlanta Braves starter Matt Wisler told reporters “. . .I’ve got some stuff to fix, I shouldn’t have an outing like that. Frustrating night.” Today he apparently had that stuff fixed. When the rains came with two outs in the top of the sixth he was cruising.
The First Three
Wisler and his opposite number Joe Ross sped through the first. After giving up a broken bat single to Clint Robinson Wisler coaxed Wilson Ramos into a 6-4-3 double play. Ben Revere ended the Nationals half but grounding out. Ross’s second inning didn’t go as smoothly.
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Matt Kemp led off with a single and Nick Markakis followed suit. Tyler Flowers lifted a fly ball to deep center for the first out advancing Kemp to third. Jace Peterson returned to lineup with a single to right, scoring Kemp and sending Markakis to second but both were stranded there when the inning ended
Wisler’s only hiccup in the third was a single by Ross who advanced to second on a passed ball. Wisler buckled down and enticed Trea Turner to fly out it center and end the inning.
The Braves had Ross on the ropes in the home half when Ender Inciarte led off with a single. Adonis Garcia and Freddie Freeman singled as well to load the bases but the Braves couldn’t close the deal.
Kemp swung at the first pitch and popped up for the first out. Markakis struck out on a wicked slider from Ross and Flowers popped up on the infield leaving the bases loaded.
The Braves are now 27 – 133 with the bases loaded this season. That comes out to an MLB worst .203/.220/.263/.483 line with 33 strikeouts.