Nationals at Braves
Ronald Acuna Jr. doesn’t turn 22 years old until December, but he continues to fuel the Atlanta Braves as they host the Washington Nationals in the third of a critical four-game home series Saturday. The Braves center fielder extended his on-base streak to 25 games with a three-hit performance in Friday’s 4-3 series-tying victory, pushing Atlanta’s lead in the National League East to 6 1/2 games as Acuna doubled and stole a base to give him 10 steals during his streak.
Atlanta snapped a five-game home losing streak to the Nationals thanks to Josh Donaldson’s walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth that plated Acuna following his lead-off walk in the inning, as the Braves improved to 41-20 since Acuna was moved to the leadoff spot in the Braves lineup on May 10. As hot as the Braves have been the past two months, the Nationals have also played great while going 32-14 since May 24 to pull close to Atlanta in the NL East race, but they finished with just seven hits Friday. Center fielder Victor Robles was 2-for-4 and gave the Nationals life with a two-out, game-tying two-run homer in the top of the ninth before Donaldson’s hit with the bases loaded sent Atlanta home with the victory. Washington third baseman Anthony Rendon went 2-for-4 Friday and is hitting .429 during his current nine-game hitting streak.
TV: 7:20 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1, MASN2 (Washington), FS South (Atlanta)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Anibal Sanchez (5-6, 3.71 ERA) vs Braves RH Mike Soroka (10-1, 2.24)
Sanchez suffered a left hamstring strain in May that cost him 10 days on the injured list and one missed start, but since he returned to the rotation the veteran has pitched to a 2.47 ERA with a .212 opponents' batting average across his past eight starts. The 35-year-old carried a perfect game into the sixth inning his return from the injured list on May 29 against the Braves, striking out seven in six scoreless innings, and the only start in that span in which he’s allowed more than three runs came against the Atlanta in Washington on June 22 (four runs, six hits in six innings). Sanchez began the second half by allowing three runs on six hits in six innings Sunday at Philadelphia.
Soroka continues to put together a remarkable first full big-league season, ranking second in the majors in ERA while winning 10 consecutive decisions after beginning the second half with seven shutout innings Sunday at San Diego. The 21-year-old struck out a career-high nine batters and walked only one, and entered Friday leading the majors in win percentage (.909) along with homers allowed per nine innings (.037). Soroka, who is limiting opponents to a .221/.279/.282 slash line in 16 starts this season, only pitched two innings in his lone appearance against Washington this season - a June 23 start in which he left the game after being hit in the forearm with a pitch.
WALK-OFFS
1. Nationals RHP Max Scherzer confirmed to reporters he will not start Sunday’s series finale after receiving a cortisone shot to relieve inflammation of the bursa sac below his right shoulder and RHP Austin Voth will start in his place.
2. Braves LF Austin Riley, who had hit .143 with 22 strikeouts in his past 14 games, went 2-for-4 on Friday with a run scored and a RBI.
3. Washington RHP Fernando Rodney gave up one run on two hits with two walks in the ninth Friday, and has surrendered three runs on four hits with three walks in his past 2 2/3 innings pitched.