WASHINGTON – The Braves steamrolled the Nationals, 8-4, at Nationals Park Friday night. Atlanta is 55-37 with two games to go before the All-Star break.
Here are five observations:
1. For weeks, we’ve discussed the power in the Braves’ lineup and the unreal numbers the hitters have produced. There have been tons of neat stats that capture this.
The most telling one might have come in Friday’s victory.
Orlando Arcia’s fifth-inning home run, which pushed the Braves’ lead to six runs, gave Atlanta its 144th home run of the season. Adam Duvall launched a homer in the ninth to make it 145.
The 145 homers are the most any Braves club has hit prior to the All-Star break, breaking the 2019 team’s record of 143.
“I think you look at the first part of the season, the ball wasn’t going anywhere and we were all kind of freaking out a little bit,” starting pitcher Ian Anderson said. “But the fact that we were able to (set that record) is a credit to the guys for sticking with it and hitting the ball hard. We hit the ball hard and if you do that enough, chances are you’re going to hit something out.”
Seven different Braves have hit at least 10 home runs. Austin Riley – who smashed a two-run homer in the top of the first inning – leads the group with 26, followed by Marcell Ozuna (17), Matt Olson (16) and Dansby Swanson (15).
“This lineup, one through nine, can change a ballgame with one swing of the bat at any time,” Riley said. “That’s part of our game. We’re never out of it until the very last out. This lineup is deep.”
2. Anderson finished the first half with a 4.79 ERA. He was inconsistent, but ended on a high note.
He allowed one earned run over 5 1/3 innings. As he often does, he escaped jams throughout this outing, one in which he gave up five hits and walked three batters in addition to striking out five.
He ended the first half by surrendering only four runs in 15 2/3 frames over his final three starts.
“It hasn’t been what I wanted it to be – that’s for certain,” Anderson said of his first half. “So it’s going to be fun, second half is going to be fun to get to where I think I can be, and hopefully take that into the postseason, where I’ve had some success. Just going to try to flip the switch here for the second half, and I think I’m on my way to doing that.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
3. The Braves have won a franchise-record 13 consecutive games in Washington. These victories make up the longest winning streak ever by any team – including the one that plays here – in Nationals Park history.
The Braves lost their first game here last season. They won the final eight last year and have taken the first five this season. Atlanta has won 19 of its last 22 games here and 21 of 26 since the beginning of 2019.
“It seems like the ball flies for us here,” Anderson said.
Nationals Park is one of 12 ballparks in the majors in which the home team does not outright hold the longest winning streak at the stadium.
4. The Braves tagged Nationals starter Patrick Corbin for six runs – five earned – over five innings. They collected nine hits, including two home runs, against him.
Corbin has lost nine consecutive starts against the Braves, dating to Sept. 6, 2019. The last pitcher to lose at least nine straight games against one team was Danny Duffy, who lost 10 consecutive starts against Cleveland from 2015-19.
Corbin has a 7.28 ERA versus the Braves during his string of losses.
Three of the hits versus Corbin were Olson’s RBI singles, and Olson collected all three in the first four innings.
5. In the bottom of the ninth, Will Smith walked Juan Soto with the bases loaded, continuing the beef between the two. They exchanged words. When Soto reached first, he clenched his fists and pretended to rub his eyes, as if to call Smith a crybaby.
Manager Brian Snitker pulled Smith, who was charged with three runs. The Nationals trimmed the deficit from seven to four, and had the tying run at the plate with two outs before A.J. Minter recorded the final out.
“It got a little hairy,” Snitker said.
Stat to know
12 - Hall of Famer Eppa Rixey and Paul Minner share the record for the longest streak of consecutive losses for a starting pitcher versus the Braves.
Quotable
“It’s huge. We’re playing really good right now. For myself personally to go into the break on this kind of note, I feel good. Body feels good, arm feels good, so hopefully I can it going once we get back.”-Anderson
Up next
Braves ace Max Fried takes the mound on Saturday, and his offense will face Nationals right-hander Paolo Espino. The game begins at 4:05 p.m.
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