Field Level Media
Jul 20, 2019
Adam Eaton had three hits and drove in a run and Trea Turner, Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto had two hits and an RBI as the visiting Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 on Saturday, ending a 10-game winning streak by Braves pitcher Mike Soroka.
Washington closer Sean Doolittle got a five-out save while Anibal Sanchez (6-6) picked up the win despite going just five innings. Doolittle retired Dansby Swanson, Freddie Freeman (strikeout) and Josh Donaldson in the ninth for his 21st save.
The Nationals starting pitchers have gone 27 games in a row without being hit with a loss. That is the longest streak since the 1917 Giants, who also went 27 games.
The Nationals had five hits in a row while scoring three runs in the fifth.
Turner had an RBI double, Rendon drove in a run with a single and Soto had an RBI single to give Washington a lead of 4-1.
The Braves trimmed the margin to 4-3 on a two-run homer by Brian McCann off Sanchez in the sixth.
But Eaton had a hit to drive in Turner for an insurance run in the top of the ninth for a 5-3 lead. Doolittle, a first baseman at the University of Virginia, grounded into a double play to end the threat as he was forced to bat.
The Braves scored in the first as Ronald Acuna, Jr. led off with an infield single, stole second and scored on a single by Freeman for 1-0 lead.
Matt Adams, a former Braves slugger, hit a home run for Washington to tie the game in the fourth.
Washington got a huge break when shortstop Turner caught a liner and doubled up Donaldson at first with the bases loaded to end the fifth with Nick Markakis at the plate.
Sanchez, facing his former team, gave up three runs on six hits with four strikeouts and three walks. Washington reliever Wander Suero came on in the sixth and went two innings and did not allow a run.
Atlanta's Soroka (10-2), in his second career start against Washington, went six innings and allowed nine hits and four runs with two walks and four strikeouts.
--Field Level Media