Washington Nationals drop another to Atlanta Braves, 4-3 final in Truist Park...

Corbin Tries To Build Something:

With a 1.20 ERA, a 2.44 FIP, and a .232/.271/.321 line against in his last two starts and 15 IP, Patrick Corbin has shown signs of life well into his third season of struggling on the hill in Washington’s rotation, and the Nationals’ southpaw told reporters after he held Miami to one run on eight hits in seven runs last time out before today, he has felt better for a while now even if there weren’t results to support his feelings.

“Like I’ve said, I’ve felt good even before this, even the couple before,” Corbin explained, as quoted by MASN’s Mark Zuckerman.

“I’m more looking at how the ball’s coming out, how my pitches are moving, a little bit more than results. Obviously you want results, but sometimes it doesn’t happen.”

Corbin gave up a leadoff single by Ronald Acuña, Jr. on a 2-1 sinker in the first at-bat of this afternoon’s game, and two outs later, he gave up a 422 foot, two-run homer on an 0-1 slider he left over the middle of the plate to Austin Riley, whose 22nd of 2022 put the Braves up 2-0 early.

Austin Riley and Travis d’Arnaud hit back-to-back singles off Corbin in the bottom of the fourth, and one out later, Riley scored on a Marcell Ozuna grounder, when Luis García’s throw to first sailed wide and got by a lunging Josh Bell, 3-1 Braves. Orlando Arcia drove another run in with an RBI single, 4-1, and Atlanta loaded the bases with two out, but left them loaded in a 32-pitch frame by Corbin, who finished the fourth at 76 overall.

Corbin got an inning-ending double play after walking Riley with one out in the fifth, and he was up to 88 pitches after the 12-pitch frame, and a 14-pitch, 1-2-3 sixth left him at 102 total.

Patrick Corbin’s Line: 6.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 4 Ks, 1 HR, 102 P, 61 S, 5/2 GO/FO.

Wright Makes Right Or Something:

In his last seven starts before today’s outing, Kyle Wright was (5-1) with a 3.19 ERA, a 3.41 FIP, and a .253/.318/.342 line against in 42 ¹⁄₃ IP.

This afternoon, threw his first 18 pitches for strikes in a true, aggressive, pounding the zone-type approach this afternoon in Truist Park.

He worked around a two-out single by Josh Bell in an 11-pitch first, then a one-out double by Keibert Ruiz in an 11-pitch, second inning, after his teammates gave him an early 2-0 lead to work with in the home first.

Ehire Adrianza singled to start the Nationals’ third, but was doubled up on a ground ball to third by César Hernández, then Juan Soto stepped in and hit a 1-1 curve up in the zone and outside to left field for a 400-foot home opposite field homer which cut the Braves’ lead in half, 2-1. Soto’s 17th of 2022 (and second in two games in Atlanta).

Wright held the Nationals there through six, which he completed on just 66 pitches, walking one and striking out five with seven hits allowed, but his 67th pitch, a first-pitch slider to Yadiel Hernández, went 413 feet to center for a leadoff home run in the top of the seventh, 4-2 Braves. No. 6 for Hernández.

The Braves’ starter retired the next three batters in order to get through seven on 79 pitches overall, and he returned in the eighth and walked one Soto in his final matchup of the day...

Kyle Wright’s Line: 7.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 Ks, 2 HRs, 84 P, 66 S, 9/3 GO/FO.

Bullpen Action:

Steve Cishek worked around a one-out single by Ronald Acuña, Jr. in the home-half of the seventh inning, with help from catcher Keibert Ruiz, who caught Acuña, Jr. trying to steal second base one out later.

Will Smith took over for the Braves with Juan Soto on first after a leadoff walk in the top of the eighth, and Soto took third base on a double to left by Josh Bell, on a first-pitch curve from Smith. Nelson Cruz stepped in next, and singled through the left side, bringing Soto home, 4-3, and getting Bell to third with no one out. Luis García flew out to left-center for out No. 1, but not deep enough for Bell to score.

Keibert Ruiz K’d swinging with the tying run still on third, and then Yadiel Hernández did as well. Still 4-3 Braves after seven and a half.

Mason Thompson got the bottom of the eighth for the Nationals, and retired the side on a total of 16 pitches.

A.J. Minter got the save opportunity in the ninth, and the left-hander gave up a leadoff hit by Lane Thomas, but Ehire Adrianza popped out trying to bunt for out No. 1. César Hernandez’s strikeout (looking) left it up to Juan Soto, who fell behind 0-2, but singled to right field on a 1-2 changeup for a game-extending hit. Josh Bell? From the right side? Bell got up 3-1, but grounded out to end it. Final Score: 4-3 Braves.

Nationals now 30-57