August 15, 2021 – Braves 6, Nats 5

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/braves-vs- nationals/2021/08/15/632867#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=wrap,game=632867

 

Weather: 79 degrees, cloudy.

Wind: 5 mph, in from right.

Umpires: HP--Riggs, 1B--Marquez, 2B--Barrett, 3B--Torres.

Time: 3:19

Attendance - 27,488

 

This was Washington’s 12^th loss in their past 13 games. The “Cruel Summer” continues. Give credit to the heart of Atlanta’s batting order, which accounted for almost all of their offense.

 

Trois étoiles:

#3 – Freddie Freeman, whose two hits included a home run to lead off the 5^th.

#2 – Austin Riley, with three hits, who went back-to-back with Freeman to knock out Nats’ starter Paolo Espino.

#1 – Dansby Swanson, with a single and a two-run third-inning HR.

 

Washington did respond well to Atlanta’s two crooked innings. They put together four singles, a perfectly-placed sacrifice bunt by Espino, and a Juan Soto sac fly to tie the game at 3 off Atlanta starter Drew Smyly in the bottom of the 3^rd. Two frames later, they answered the visitors’ 3-run outburst, as Carter Kieboom singled home Soto (who drew a two-out walk) and Josh Bell (who followed with a double).

 

Somewhat surprisingly, that ended the scoring for the afternoon. The embattled Washington bullpen allowed only one man to reach base (on an error) over the final four innings. Meanwhile, the Nats had their chances to tie things up or go ahead, but wasted a double, two leadoff walks, and a pair of walks in the ninth.

 

Although it was much cooler than the previous week, it still felt unpleasantly steamy. Traffic was pretty much par for the course; the Legion Bridge back-ups on the way home are starting to resemble those of pre-pandemic days. Fast-casual Indian restaurant Rasa provided a nice lunch, despite the shade-free outdoor tables.