 never retired Washington in order and gave up four runs, three earned, on eight hits. He hit two batters.The Braves had won 11 of 13 entering the game to build a cushion atop the division. The third-place Nationals have won five straight and nine of 12 to move within a game of .500 for the first time since April 24.Atlanta led 3-0 in the fourth thanks to a two-run homer by Austin Riley and an RBI double by Freddie Freeman, who has now driven in a run in nine straight games, matching a franchise record.In the bottom half, Victor Robles lined an RBI triple and scored on Michael A. Taylor's squeeze bunt. Yan Gomes homered to tie it at 3-3.Washington pushed ahead in the fifth, when Juan Soto led off with a triple and Anthony Rendon singled him home.Stephen Strasburg (8-4) allowed three runs in six innings. With closer Sean Doolittle having worked two consecutive nights, Wander Suero allowed the first two runners to reach in the ninth before retiring the side for his first career save. Robles made a sliding catch in right field for the last out.SUSPENSION DROPPEDBraves third baseman Josh Donaldson had his one-game suspension rescinded by Major League Baseball. He had appealed the penalty after a dust-up with Pittsburgh pitcher Joe Musgrove earlier this month. Donaldson was still fined for the incident.Donaldson doubled and singled Friday night.MOVESThe Nationals recalled right-hander Joe Ross from Triple-A Fresno. Washington has yet to announce a starter for Sunday, and Ross could get the call if he's not needed in the bullpen Saturday. Washington optioned infielder Adrian Sanchez to Double-A Harrisburg.TRAINER'S ROOMNationals: 1B Ryan Zimmerman (plantar fasciitis in right foot) began his rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg. He played five innings and went 1-for-1 with a walk. He has missed 48 games with the injury, and manager Dave Martinez said Zimmerman will work his way up to playing nine innings.UP NEXTBraves: Mike Foltynewicz (2-5, 5.53 ERA), who is 5-4 with a 4.02 ERA in 11 career starts against Washington, will start for Atlanta on Saturday.Nationals: Anibal Sanchez (3-6, 3.84) is 3-0 in his last four starts.---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Keuchel set to debut as Braves visit NationalsFLMThere has been a lot of excitement at Nationals Park this week, and that will continue on Friday when the Atlanta Braves begin a three-game series against the Washington Nationals.The Braves plan to start veteran lefty pitcher Dallas Keuchel, who was signed by the club two weeks ago on a one-year, $21.2 million contract after going unsigned through free agency, spring training and the early portion of the regular season. Washington plans to start Stephen Strasburg (7-4, 3.75 ERA), who is coming off a rough start."We're taking it a day at a time right now, but everything is pointing 1/8toward Friday 3/8," Braves manager Brian Snitker said Monday of Keuchel's expected debut.The Braves were off Thursday and arrived in the nation's capital as the Nationals were getting ready to put the finishing touches on a 7-4 win over the Phillies and their first three-game sweep of the year."We are just playing day-by-day," Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki told Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) after the win Thursday, which followed a doubleheader sweep Wednesday."We definitely played a complete game tonight," said third baseman Anthony Rendon, who had a homer and double.Strasburg allowed a career-high four homers in his previous start on Saturday at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks.Keuchel is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in three starts in his career against Washington. Current Nationals players are 35-for-98 (.357) with two homers against Keuchel.Veteran hitter Howie Kendrick is 8-for-21 (.381) with a homer against the Atlanta pitcher, and Brian Dozier is 6-for-12 (.500) with a homer. Dozier hit a homer in each game of a twinbill sweep of the Phillies on Wednesday.Strasburg will try to bounce back after giving up six runs Saturday to Arizona, before which he had won three straight starts and four straight decisions dating to May 18. He is 12-11 with a 4.01 ERA in his career against Atlanta in 31 starts.In his only start the season against the Braves, he got the win as he went seven innings and gave up two runs on May 28, fanning a season-high 11 batters.Keuchel started two games for Double-A Mississippi in the Southern League earlier this month, going seven innings each time and allowing a combined three runs on 12 hits, striking out 13 and walking two.The lefty won the AL Cy Young Award in 2015 with Houston, when he was 20-8 with a 2.48 ERA in 33 starts.Last year with the Astros, he was 12-11 with a 3.74 ERA in 34 starts.Veteran first baseman Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals is slated to begin a minor league rehab assignment on Friday with the Double-A Harrisburg Senators of the Eastern League. He has been on the injured list since April 28 with plantar fasciitis in his right foot.--Field Level Media
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