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3 takeaways: Atlanta Braves salvage split against Washington Nationals

By Matthew Browning

WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 13: Kevin Gausman #45 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning of a spring training baseball game at Fitteam Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on March 13, 2019 in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Nationals defeated the Braves 8-4. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 13: Kevin Gausman #45 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch against the Washington Nationals during the first inning of a spring training baseball game at Fitteam Ballpark of the Palm Beaches on March 13, 2019 in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Nationals defeated the Braves 8-4. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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The Atlanta Braves defeated the Washington Nationals 7-1 Sunday evening to salvage a split in the series.

A must-win is a bit much for a game in late July, but the Atlanta Braves couldn’t afford to lose their series to the Washington Nationals, who are the hottest team in baseball and stood just 5.5 games back heading into Sunday.

So getting the win was a great way to end a rather frustrating week for the Braves.

Let’s get to the takeaways…

1. Kevin!

Oh if that could be the Kevin Gausman the Braves get the rest of the year, then many questions about the rotation will be answered.

The dude was absolutely brilliant.

He went eight innings, allowed one run, five hits and struck out eight Nationals.

Sunday’s start was very reminiscent of Gausman’s first six starts last season after he was traded from the Baltimore Orioles.

During that stretch he went 4-1 with a 1.66 ERA and had 26 strikeouts to seven walks.

There was plenty of talk of Gausman adopting a cutter and a curveball while rehabbing at Triple-A, but he was mostly a fastball/splitter guy Sunday… and that worked.

Then again, strategy could be at work here:  he may end up facing the Nationals again relatively soon, so perhaps he’ll break out the new pitches then?

2. 1-5 were rolling

The story offensively for the Braves was the top five in the order as they combined to go 8-for-20 with seven RBIs, six runs scored and three walks.

Nick Markakis got the Braves on the board in the first with a clutch two-out, two-run single. For the season, he is now hitting .290, with an OPS of .803.

Josh Donaldson hit an absolute bomb in the sixth; his 23rd homer on the year and added an RBI single in the seventh. Since June 1st, Donaldson has hit 15 home runs with 34 RBIs.

Freddie Freeman went 3-for-4 and seems to have snapped out of his mini funk. He is 7 for his last 17, with four RBI.

Ronald Acuna went 2-for-4, with a two-run homer, his 24th on the year and made a trip rounding the bases on Freeman’s single in the seventh look as smooth as everything else he does.

3. Playing well and not much to show for it (in the division)

On June 1st, the Nationals were eight games back of the Braves and since then they are 29-12 and have gained just 1.5 games in the standings.

That has to be frustrating for them.

Adding to that frustration was the chance to make a move this weekend and they left the same place they started, 6.5 games behind Atlanta.

Would it have been nice for the Braves to win the series and put the Nationals in a deeper hole? Sure.

But after the final two games in Milwaukee, plus the first game against the Nationals, the Braves should be thrilled with a split.

Next. History Lessons. dark

Up next is a quick two-game series with the Kansas City Royals.

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