September 12 – Washington State right-hander Jake Irvin continued his stellar performance against the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday, helping the host Nationals to a 5–1 win that tied the series at two games apiece.
With the loss, Atlanta (79-67) fell one game behind the Mets in the race for the final wild-card spot in the National League. Washington (65-80) won the season series by beating the Warriors, 8-5.
Owen (10-12) allowed one run on two hits with one walk and five strikeouts. He didn’t allow a hit until Michael Harris II’s two-out double in the sixth inning.
In four starts against the Braves this season, Irving allowed only three runs on 13 hits in 23 1/3 innings.
Irvin pitched at least six innings in 13 starts and allowed one or fewer runs, which ranked fourth in the National League.
The Washington bullpen kept Atlanta in check the rest of the way. Derek Lowe (seventh inning), Jose Ferrell (eighth inning) and Kyle Finnegan pitched scoreless innings.
The losing pitcher was Max Fried (9-9), who pitched six innings, allowed four runs on 11 hits, struck out six and gave up no bases.
The Nationals scored two runs in the third inning. Jacob Young was hit by a pitch and moved to second base on C.J. Abrams’ infield single. Dylan Cruz’s single to right field sent Young home. James Wood hit another infield hit that Freed couldn’t handle, allowing Abrams to score. Wood has now reached base safely 12 times in a row.
In the fourth inning, with Washington ahead 3–0, Abrams hit a 420-foot solo home run to center field, his 20th. The Nationals scored again in the fifth inning when Andrés Chaparro scored on a double play.
Jorge Soler scored twice for Atlanta in the sixth inning.
Washington added insurance in the eighth inning with Josh Turner’s single, stole second and scored on Keibert Ruiz’s soft single.
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