Braves at Nationals
Juan Soto has overcome a slow start to the season and found his stride for the Washington Nationals, who look to lock up a series victory at home on Saturday against the Atlanta Braves following another good effort from their 20-year-old outfielder. Soto finished 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored in Friday’s 4-3 victory to raise his batting average to .376 with 10 doubles, five homers, 19 RBIs and 27 runs scored since May 17, when he was hitting just .228.
Yan Gomes homered for the Nationals, who won for the 18th time in 25 contests to pull within 6 ½ games of first-place Atlanta in the National League East despite finishing 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position in the series opener but benefiting from two costly defensive misplays by the Braves. Atlanta fell for just the fifth time in 17 road games and dropped to 14-5 in June, getting its major league-leading 40th homer this month as rookie Austin Riley belted his 12th in 34 contests this season. Freddie Freeman tied a team record by recording an RBI in his ninth consecutive game. The loss dropped the Braves, who went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position on Friday, to 0-3 against the Nationals this season.
TV: 7:15 p.m. ET, FOX
PITCHING MATCHUP: Braves RH Mike Foltynewicz (2-5, 5.53 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Anibal Sanchez (3-6, 3.84)
Foltynewicz continues to battle command issues after an early season marred by injury and sub-par performances, but he took a step forward on Sunday by limiting Philadelphia to one run and four hits in six innings of a victory. The 27-year-old issued five free passes in the win, giving him nine walks in his last two turns, but did not allow a homer in those outings after surrendering 15 in his first eight starts. Foltynewicz is 5-4 with a 4.02 ERA in 11 career starts against the Nationals, including a 3-2 record and 2.35 ERA in five turns last season.
Sanchez has been outstanding since returning from a left hamstring strain, going 3-0 with a 1.54 ERA and three walks over 23 1/3 innings in four starts. The 35-year-old came off the injured list on May 29 and promptly carried a perfect game into the sixth inning at Atlanta that night, allowing one run and one hit with seven strikeouts in six frames. Sanchez, who went 7-6 with a 2.83 ERA in 25 games (24 starts) for the Braves last year, held Arizona to two runs and six hits with three strikeouts in a win on Sunday.
WALK-OFFS
1. Atlanta 3B Josh Donaldson went 2-for-3 in the series opener, extending his hitting streak to 10 games and raising his average in that span to .405.
2. Washington 1B Howie Kendrick is hitting .426 with five homers in his last 19 contests.
3. Gomes went 1-for-4 on Friday, giving him hits in 11 of his last 17 games.