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Joe Ross was throwing a mid-90s heater (93-95), his slider had some bite, and he even hit a line drive single in his first start since July 2nd.
Ross was placed on the 15-Day DL after that outing and eventually moved to the 60-Day DL as he recovered from inflammation in his right shoulder, but this afternoon he finally returned to the mound in the majors.
Ross gave up a run in a three-hit second, responded well in a tough situation in the third, working his way out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam (with a pop-out, K and pop-out) without a run scoring, and was done after just three innings.
Joe Ross’ Line: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 Ks, 51 P, 38 S, 0/2 GO/FO.
As for the rest of the game, the Nationals dropped their second this weekend and just their fourth in nineteen against the Braves this season, 6-2 final, in a rain-soaked and delayed affair that wrapped up the season series between the NL East rivals with the Nationals 15-4 overall against the Braves in 2016.
Here’s how it happened:
Matt Kemp and Nick Markakis connected for back-to-back singles off Ross in the home-half of the second and Kemp moved up on a fly to center before scoring from third on a single to right by Jace Peterson to put the Braves up 1-0 early.
Ender Inciarte, Adonis Garcia and Freddie Freeman hit back-to-back-to-back singles to start the third, but Ross popped Matt Kemp up, got Nick Markakis with a wipeout 0-2 slider and got a pop to second by Tyler Flowers to leave’em loaded. Still 1-0 Atlanta.
Joe Ross’ Line: 3.0 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 Ks, 51 P, 38 S, 0/2 GO/FO.
Reynaldo Lopez took over for Ross in the fourth and gave up a leadoff walk and RBI double to the first two batters he faced, 2-0.
Dansby Swanson, who hit the double, moved up on a sac bunt and scored on a two-out single by Adonis Garcia to make it 3-0 Braves after four.
Trea Turner tripled for his first hit of the game in the sixth (1 for 3) and scored on an RBI double to left by Jayson Werth as the skies opened up over Turner Field and sent the game into a rain delay with the Braves up, 3-1. Turner’s 7th triple and his 28th hit in 59 ABs vs Atlanta this season.
After a 1-hour, 7-minute rain delay, play resumed with Bryce Harper dropping an RBI single into short center to bring Werth in and make it a one-run game, 3-2 Braves.
Rafael Martin issued a leadoff walk to Dansby Swanson in the Braves’ half of the sixth, before he was replaced on the mound by Marc Rzepczynski. Emilio Bonifacio singled and both runners scored on an RBI line drive to left by Adonis Garcia, 5-2.
Garcia scored on a double by Freddie Freeman and it was 6-2 Atlanta in the bottom of the sixth.
The game was delayed for a second time in the bottom of the seventh... and they eventually called it. Final score in 7 innings: 6-2 Braves.
Nationals now 88-61
NATS NOTES:
- After Saturday’s loss, Washington fell to 88-60 overall on the season, the second-best record in the majors, behind only the Chicago Cubs (94-54).
- The Nationals’ +153 run differential is the second-best in the National League, behind only, again, the Cubs (+226).
- In today’s Nationals-themed “Fun with Arbitrary End Points” segment: The Nats have won 13 of their last 18 and their 13-5 record over that stretch is tied with the New York Mets for the best record in the majors... since August 29th.
- Trea Turner improved to 27 for 56 (.482 AVG) with five doubles, a triple, six home runs, seven stolen bases and 19 runs scored in 12 games vs the Braves.
- The Nationals’ 48-21 record in the NL East is the best of any major league team within their own division.
- This afternoon’s game is the Nationals’ last in Turner Field, where they are 49-60 (2005-present) heading into today’s matchup.
- Atlanta’s win on Saturday was just their third in 18 games against Washington this season and their second in eight games in Turner Field.
- Joe Ross returned to the mound in the majors this afternoon for the first time since July 2nd. He had to come off the 60-Day DL, so the Nationals had to DFA IF Chris Bostick to make room on the 40-Man roster.
- Bostick, 23, was acquired in the deal that sent Ross Detwiler to the Texas Rangers. He put up a .250/.313/.386 line between Double and Triple-A in the Nats’ system this season with 22 doubles, 10 triples and eight home runs in 135 games and 539 PAs.
Nationals now 88-61