Washington Nationals avoid sweep with 5-2 win over Atlanta Braves: Tanner Roark solid again...

Tanner Roark put together another solid outing, continuing his second-half resurgence, but a two-run home run in his final inning of work in the sixth made it a one-run game, 3-2, in the series finale with the Atlanta Braves in the nation’s capital.

Four batters into the bottom of the sixth, however, the Nationals had a three-run lead on the Braves, 5-2, after Adam Lind and Victor Robles singled and Adrian Sanchez sent a two-run double to left field.

After Roark, it was Matt Albers in the seventh, Ryan Madson in the eighth, and Sean Doolittle in the ninth locking down the sweep-avoiding win as the Nats salvaged the series finale with the Braves. Final Score: 5-2 Nats.

Nationals now 89-57

HERE’S HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Trea Turner took a 98 mph 2-1 fastball from Mike Foltynewicz to center for a leadoff double in the bottom of the first, lining one over Ender Inciarte’s head for his 20th two-base hit of the season, and scored from second on a Jayson Werth single to left field that put the Nationals up 1-0 early in the series finale with the Braves.

• Jose Lobaton took a 3-2 slider off of his back (left) ankle in a two-out at bat in the Nationals’ half of the second. Lobaton left the game, replaced behind the plate by Pedro Severino.

• Adam Lind singled to start the Nationals’ fourth, and scored one out later when Victor Robles sent an 0-1 slider from Foltynewicz to right and off the out-of-town scoreboard for an RBI triple that made it 2-0 Nats. Robles scored on when Pedro Severino beat out on a potential double play grounder hustling down to first, 3-0.

• Tanner Roark took a no-hit bid into the fifth before Johan Carmago singled with two out for the Braves’ first hit, but a scoreless, 17-pitch frame left Roark at 80 pitches in five scoreless innings.

• Mike Foltynewicz’s Line: 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 Ks, 73 P, 48 S, 5/2 GO/FO.

• Ozzie Albies extended his personal hit streak to 12-straight games with a one-out, two-run home run off Roark in the sixth, taking a 93 mph 3-2 fastball for a ride to right-center for his 4th home run of the season, which made it a one-run game, 3-2 Nationals.

• Tanner Roark’s Line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 Ks, 1 HR, 108 P, 64 S, 7/3 GO/FO.

• Adam Lind was 2 for 3 on the night after a leadoff single in the sixth, and he took third base on a throwing error on a Victor Robles’ dribbler toward third base. Adrian Sanchez stepped in next and lined a two-run double to left to put the Nats up, 5-2.

• Matt Albers took over on the mound in the top of the seventh, working around a leadoff single in a scoreless, 17-pitch frame.

• Jayson Werth was 2 for 4 on the night after a one-out single in the Nationals’ half of the seventh.

• Ryan Madson’s 10-pitch, 1-2-3 eighth gave him scoreless innings in 13 of 14 outings since he’s joined the Nationals’ bullpen.

• Sean Doolittle took the mound with a three-run lead in the ninth and worked around a two-out single in an 11-pitch frame. Ballgame. Final Score: 5-2 Nationals.

NATIONALS PREGAME NOTES:

• With back-to-back losses, Washington is now 123-113 in the all-time series with the Atlanta Braves, but the Nationals are 43-21 against their NL East rivals since mid-June 2014.
• Atlanta is 6-3 at Nationals Park this season after going 0-10 in 2015 and 1-9 in 2016.
• Trea Turner joined Alfonso Soriano last night as the only two players in Nationals franchise history (2005-present) to steal 40 or more bases.
• In today’s Nationals-themed “Fun with Arbitrary End Points” segment: Turner has put up a .316 AVG with six doubles, two triples, two homers, seven walks, five stolen bases and 13 runs scored... since returning from the DL on August 29th.
• Washington’s offense started the night leading the NL in SLG (.454), runs scored (750), and OPS (.788), and they were ranked second in AVG (.269), and extra-base hits (505).
• Braves’ second baseman Ozzie Albies stretched his season-best hitting streak to 11 games last night. He’s 16 for 46 on the streak (.348 AVG) with a .426 OBP over the course of the streak.
• Anthony Rendon starts the night ranked second in the majors and first in the NL at 6.3 fWAR.

Nationals now 89-57