Field Level Media
May 29, 2019
The Washington Nationals sent nine batters to the plate in each of the first two innings, and Anibal Sanchez came off the injured list to throw six scoreless innings in a 14-4 road rout of the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.
Five different Washington batters had multiple hits, with Trea Turner collecting three hits while Anthony Rendon, Juan Soto, Howie Kendrick and Matt Adams had two apiece. Soto extended his career-best hitting streak to 13 games, and Kendrick drove in four runs, tying his season high.
Sanchez (1-6) pitched for the first time since May 16 after being sidelined with a left hamstring strain. He retired the first 16 batters he faced until Ozzie Albies lined a single to center with one out in the sixth. Sanchez allowed only one hit and one walk, struck out seven and lowered his ERA from 5.10 to 4.47.
Kyle McGowin pitched the final three innings, allowing four runs, to record his first career save.
The Nationals swept the two-game series in Atlanta and have won five of their past six games.
Atlanta starter Kevin Gausman (2-4) pitched only one-plus inning and allowed eight runs on eight hits and two walks. His ERA rose from 4.33 to 5.56. It was Gausman's first loss to the Nationals since May 28, 2013. He had been 4-0 in his past five starts against Washington.
Washington put four runs on the board in the first inning. Kendrick's sacrifice fly was followed by RBI singles from Adams, Kurt Suzuki and Victor Robles.
The Nationals scored four more in the second inning. Rendon had a two-run triple, Soto hit an RBI single, and Robles had a run-scoring groundout.
Soto added a solo homer, his ninth, in the fourth inning to stretch the lead to 9-0.
Washington scored five times in the fifth. Kendrick's double with the bases loaded chased three runs home, and Adams launched a two-run homer, his fifth, to right field.
The bright spot for Atlanta was a grand slam for rookie outfielder Austin Riley against McGowin in the seventh inning. Riley now has seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 14 games. He added a single in the ninth and is batting .375.
--Field Level Media