The Atlanta Braves took on the Washington Nationals in search of securing a four game series sweep. Hurston Waldrep took the mound looking for a rebound from a forgettable start against the Astros where he surrendered eight earned runs.
The Braves came up to bat first and Profar and grounded out, but Matt Olson stated hot and got the base running started with a single on a pitch that was above the strike zone. Unfortunately, that was the only offense in the inning for the Braves.
Waldrep looked sharp
in his first inning of work. He looked like he had shaken off the rust. After inducing a groundout from Wood, he was able to strikeout both Abrams and Bell. Abrams he was able to get swinging by using a curve as an out pitch. Bell struck out on his splitter.
Brad Lord has struggled since he became a full-time starter for the Nationals, but he seemed to have the Braves’ number early in the game. He sat down Albies and Harris via strikeouts and Kim lined out to RF on a solid contact ball.
Daylen Lile came up to bat in the second. He was a player to keep an eye on. In the month of September, he is the only qualified hitter with a higher wRC+ than Matt Olson. Waldrep was not phased by him. He got him to strike out swinging on, you guessed it, a splitter. Waldrep picked up another strikeout and induced a groundout in route to sitting down all three hitters in the inning.
It looked like the Braves may get something going in the third. Ozuna and Alvarez had back-to-back singles to start, but the momentum was killed with a Profar GIDP and an Olson long pop up to SS. Waldrep picked up right where he left off. He struck out the first two hitters he faced in the inning and induced another ground ball. In these two strikeouts he did what seems to be successful, which is to pitch a bunch of splitters and then fool the hitter with a curveball as the out pitch.
The Braves looked again like they would break through in the fourth inning. Ronald Acuña smoked a singled that was 109.2 MPH off the bat, stole second and then Albies followed that up with a rare walk after a Baldwin pop up. Kim moved the runners over with a grounder, but Harris struck out to end the momentum.
Waldrep finally showed some weakness in the fourth inning. He was able to get Wood to ground out, but then Abrams singled and then stole second. Waldrep was able to keep his composure and strikeout both Bell and Lile. Both hitters he struck out on three pitches with a combo of cutters and splitters.
The Braves did not show any offense in the fifth with Ozuna, Alvarez, and Profar sitting down in order. Waldrep’s fifth inning was not as dominant as his others. Luis García led off with a double and then scored on a Crews single to make the score 0-1. Crews then stole second. Adams lined out, but then Hassell had a double of his own and made the score 0-2. There was a mound visit to try and calm Waldrep. He was able to force a soft grounder, but then Wood doubled to to make the score 0-3. Finally Waldrep was able to stop the pendulum swing by getting Abrams to fly out on a short fly ball that Profar had to make a last second dive for.
The Braves had plenty of baserunners this game but could not plate any of them so far. That ended in the sixth. After the second hottest hitter in MLB, Matt Olson, flied out Ronald Acuña hit a single on the first pitch he saw that was well inside. Baldwin then added to his ROY resume by scoring Acuña from first on a double. This ended Lord’s afternoon and he was replaced by Clayton Beeter. Albies was able to then draw his second walk of the game. Kim then walked to load the bases. It looked like we may have some more stranded runners when Harris struck out, but Ozuna was able to come through with a single which tied up the game 3-3. Alvarez then came up to bat and hit a single to score a run, but Ozuna was thrown out on a close play at third. It was close enough that the Braves challenged it, but the play was upheld and the top of the sixth was over.
Dylan Dodd then came in to replace Waldrep. Outside of the one inning, Waldrep was fantastic. He ended his afternoon with eight strikeout and zero walks, while surrendering three runs on five hits in 5.0 innings of work. It was a much needed solid outing. Dodd was not the answer. He gave up a single to Bell, and then after a groundout, gave up a single to García to put runners on the corners. In a wise move, Dodd was then replaced with Hunter Stratton who was get a force out and then strike out Adams to prevent any damage.
Lao then came in the game for the Nats. Profar grounded out, but in what has been a daily occurrence, Matt Olson hit yet another HR.
Lao was able to retire the rest of the side, but some insurance had been added. Pierce Johnson then came in to pitch the seventh. He was able to retire the first two hitters he faced but then gave up a single to Wood and was replaced by Lee. Lee then struck out Abrams.
The Braves did not slow down in the eighth. Albies’ streak of walks ended, but Kim followed it up with a single. Harris continued his struggles with a grounder, but Kim was able to move to second and then Marcell Ozuna knocked him in with a double to make the score 6-3. Alvarez struck out, but the lead was now three.
Lee stayed in the game to pitch the eighth and retired the side. The Braves were apparently not done having fun at the plate in the ninth. Profar was retired on strikes, but Olson started a streak of three straight singles to load the bases. Albies his a sac fly to plate Olson, and then Kim singled to score two to make the score 9-3. Harris was finally able to break his slump and got a single, but Ozuna flied out to move it to the bottom of the ninth.
Dane Dunning then came in to pitch the ninth. He did not exactly bring confidence. Crews led off with a double and then Dunning hit Adams with a pitch. Hassell grounded out which left runners on the corners. House then singled to make the score 9-4. With runners on first and second, Dunning was able to strike out James Wood, and finally get Abrams to ground out to end the game.
Outside of one inning, Waldrep looked fantastic with a great mix of pitches. The offense exploded not only with power from Matt Olson, but sixteen total hits. Every single player got on base besides Profar with Olson, Ozuna, and Acuña all having three hits a piece.
Too bad it is too little too late, because the Braves arguably played their best overall series all season long.
The Braves have an off day tomorrow before they will face the Tigers.
