Field Level Media
Aug 17, 2020
The Atlanta Braves got a pair of two-run homers in the ninth inning, the second a walk-off blast by shortstop Dansby Swanson, to rally from a three-run deficit and stun the visiting Washington Nationals 7-6 on Monday night.
The Braves came back against Washington closer Daniel Hudson (1-2), who gave up a two-run homer to Adam Duvall after hitting Nick Markakis with a pitch to open the inning. After surrendering a single to Johan Camargo, Hudson got two quick outs and seemed on the verge of sealing the victory when Swanson delivered his third homer of the year.
The winning pitcher was Will Smith (2-0).
The Nationals got homers from rookie Luis Garcia, Eric Thames, Asdrubal Cabrera and Juan Soto, who hammered a 445-foot solo shot in the ninth. It was Soto's seventh of the season and sixth homer in eight games on Washington's current 10-game road trip. Garcia, ranked as the organization's No. 2 prospect, became the first player born in the 2000s to hit a homer in the major leagues.
Washington starter Anibal Sanchez pitched around some wildness and worked five innings, allowing three runs on seven hits, three walks and one strikeout.
The Braves got another short stint from their starting pitcher. Touki Toussaint was wild in his three-plus innings. He allowed four runs on two hits -- both of them homers -- six walks and four strikeouts. He threw 73 pitches, but only 34 for strikes.
The Nationals scored three times in the second inning on a two-run homer from Garcia and a solo shot from Thames.
The Braves made it 3-2 in the bottom of the inning on a run-scoring double by Markakis and an RBI single from Austin Riley.
Washington picked up another run in the third without a base hit. The run crossed on Kurt Suzuki's bases-loaded walk.
Atlanta answered with a run in the bottom of the third as Travis d'Arnaud singled in Swanson to cut the lead to 4-3.
Cabrera hit a solo homer, his fifth, in the fifth inning to give Washington a 5-3 lead and Soto's homer in the ninth made it 6-3.
--Field Level Media