Braves fall to Nationals to close out Champions Week

After walloping the Nats with 16 runs just last night, the Braves were only able to muster up one run in a 3-1 loss to Washington.

With the loss, the Atlanta Braves were handed their first series loss of the season and fall to a 3-4 record. Atlanta will travel to San Diego to take on the Padres tomorrow at 8:10 EST in their first away matchup of the season.

All-American defensive tackle Jordan Davis, who led the Georgia Bulldogs football team this season, threw out the first pitch to celebrate Georgia’s national championship.

Max Fried took the mound for the Braves, pitching five and a third innings and racking up seven hits, two earned runs and four strikeouts. Fried was pulled from the game after taking a comebacker to the knee from Nelson Cruz.

With the loss, Fried now sits with a 5.73 ERA after two starts this season.

Washington Nationals starter Josiah Gray handled the Braves, allowing just one hit and three walks in a full five innings.

The lone run for the Braves came from a sixth-inning home run from Austin Riley hit off of Kyle Finnegan.

The Braves bullpen, which included Collin McHugh, A.J. Minter, Tyler Matzek and Kenley Jansen, shined in the loss, combining for a perfect four and two-thirds innings while striking out five. This fantastic showing from the bullpen featured A.J. Minter, who struck out the side with 14 pitches.

After Steve Cishek shut down Guillermio Heredia, Manny Piña and Ozzie Albies in the bottom of the eighth inning with three outs on six pitches, Kenley Jansen came in to shut down the Nationals in the top of the ninth for his second appearance in an Atlanta uniform.

WIth Austin Riley providing a single to provide hope of a comeback, Marcell Ozuna hit into a double play to close out Champions Week.

Tomorrow Charlie Morton and the Braves will take on Joe Musgrove and the Padres to try and climb back to a .500 record.