Soto homers as Nationals end 9-game skid, defeat Braves 7-3

Sun, Jul 17, 2022
MLB News (AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) - Juan Soto and Victor Robles homered, and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 7-3 Sunday to snap a nine-game losing streak.

Soto, Washington's lone All-Star who could be traded by the end of the month, hit a solo shot in the eighth inning to extend his on-base streak to a career-high 26 games. The Nationals avoided dropping 10 in a row for the first time since an 11-game skid that spanned the 2008 and 2009 seasons. At 31-63, they have the worst record in the majors at the All-Star break.

Washington hadn't scored five runs in a game since an 8-7 loss to Pittsburgh on June 29, a loss which started the Nationals' 1-15 slide entering Sunday.

The Nationals did much of their damage against starter Spencer Strider (4-3) in the second. Ehire Adrianza lined a two-run single to center. Robles followed with his second homer of the season, a fly to left that just sailed into the visitor's bullpen.

Adrianza added an RBI groundout in the fourth against Strider, who allowed five runs in four innings while striking out four. Maikel Franco's RBI single in the sixth made it 6-3.

Steve Cishek (1-2) pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, stranding the potential trying run at second in the fourth inning.

After a doubleheader Wednesday snarled its rotation, Washington opted for a bullpen game. Erasmo Ramirez started and worked three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.

Jordan Weems entered in the fourth and allowed four hits in a span of five batters, including RBI doubles by Matt Olson and Adam Duvall, before yielding to Cishek.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Nationals: DH Nelson Cruz (quad tightness) was out of the lineup for the second consecutive game. ... Washington recalled RHP Cory Abbott from Triple-A Rochester and optioned RHP Hunter Harvey to Rochester. Harvey was 0-0 with a 3.18 ERA in seven games. ... RHP Victor Arano (left knee inflammation) threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts Saturday in his second rehabilitation appearance for Rochester.

UP NEXT

Braves: Atlanta returns home after the All-Star break to begin a three-game series Friday against the Los Angeles Angels. The Braves and Angels have not met since 2017.

Nationals: Washington begins a three-game series Friday at Arizona. The teams split a four-game set at Nationals Park in April.

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