Mike Yastrzemski and Matt Olson homered, while Atlanta's relievers combined for five scoreless innings to secure the victory at Truist Park
The Atlanta Braves answered every Washington push on Sunday afternoon, using solo home runs from Mike Yastrzemski and Matt Olson before a dominant bullpen preserved a 4-2 victory over the Nationals at Truist Park.
Atlanta and Washington traded scoreless innings early as both starting pitchers worked around traffic. Braves right-hander JR Ritchie struck out James Wood to begin the afternoon and fanned CJ Abrams to escape the opening frame. Cade Cavalli matched him through the first inning before Washington mounted its first threat in the second. Keibert Ruiz drew a walk and Nasim Nuñez followed with a single to put runners on first and second with one out. After Jorbit Vivas lined out to right, Nuñez stole second to place two runners in scoring position, but Andrés Chaparro grounded out to strand both and keep the game scoreless.
The Braves broke through first in the bottom of the third. Mike Yastrzemski turned on a pitch from Cavalli and drove it into the right-center field seats for his eighth home run of the season, giving Atlanta a 1-0 lead. The Nationals had another opportunity in the top half of the inning after Daylen Lile reached on a walk and stole second base, but Michael Harris II erased extra bases with a leaping catch on Dylan Crews' drive to center before CJ Abrams grounded out to end the inning.
Washington finally converted its chances in the fourth and briefly grabbed control. Ruiz opened the inning with a single before José Tena worked a walk. Nuñez struck out, but Vivas lined a single to right to load the bases. Chaparro was then hit by a pitch, forcing home Ruiz to tie the game, though the first baseman needed attention after taking the pitch. James Wood followed with a sacrifice fly to center, allowing Tena to score and giving the Nationals a 2-1 advantage before Daylen Lile grounded out to end the rally.
Atlanta answered immediately in the bottom half. Matt Olson erased the deficit with one swing, launching his 31st home run of the season over the right-field wall to knot the game at 2-2. Cavalli recovered to retire the next three hitters, but the momentum had shifted back toward the home club.
The Braves reclaimed the lead in the fifth with help from Washington's defense. Dylan Dodd replaced Ritchie and delivered a clean top of the inning, then Austin Riley lined a one-out double into right field in the bottom half. Jim Jarvis followed with a routine ground ball that should have produced the second out, but Abrams' throw sailed off target, allowing Riley to score on the error and pushing Atlanta back in front, 3-2. Washington limited further damage when Nasim Nuñez started a double play, yet the Braves had the lead for good.
Atlanta's bullpen steadily tightened its grip after that. Didier Fuentes retired all six hitters he faced across the sixth and seventh innings, striking out José Tena and Nuñez during a perfect sixth. Washington's lineup never advanced another runner into scoring position against him.
The Braves added an insurance run in the seventh after Mauricio Dubón singled and aggressively worked his way around the bases. He stole second before advancing to third on Orlando Ribalta's throwing error, putting himself 90 feet away with no outs. Yastrzemski delivered again, lifting a sacrifice fly to center that scored Dubón for a 4-2 cushion.
Washington's final opportunity disappeared against Atlanta's late-inning relievers. Dylan Lee worked around a leadoff walk in the eighth, recording the 300th strikeout of his major league career before Harry Ford grounded into an inning-ending double play. Raisel Iglesias handled the ninth, retiring José Tena and Nasim Nuñez before issuing a two-out walk to Vivas. Brady House represented the Nationals' final chance, but Iglesias finished the afternoon with a swinging strikeout to earn the save.
Atlanta received contributions throughout the roster in a clean, fundamentally sound victory. Yastrzemski supplied two runs with his home run and sacrifice fly, Olson added another long ball, and the bullpen combined for five scoreless innings after Ritchie exited. Washington generated early opportunities and briefly seized the lead in the fourth, but defensive miscues and an inability to solve Atlanta's relievers prevented the Nationals from sustaining that momentum as the Braves closed out a 4-2 win.
