Braves sweep Nationals, take fourth game 9-4

The Braves continue to show they have no desire to call it a season, even with the playoffs out of reach.

Thanks to a 3-RBI game from Marcell Ozuna, and yet another home run from Matt Olson, the Braves defeated the Nationals 9-4 on Wednesday, finishing off a four-game sweep.

The Braves outscored Washington 31-10 over the four games. During their current five-game win streak, they have outscored the opposition by a combined 39-13 score.

Ozuna hit a single to right field in the sixth inning to drive in Ozzie Albies and Drake Baldwin to tie the game at 3-all. His double to right in the eighth drove home Ha-Seong Kim to make it 6-3.

Olson hit his 28th home run of the season in the seventh inning. It was the fifth time in the last six games he has homered, and he now has seven home runs in just 16 games this month.

Braves starter Hurston Waldrep (5-1) shut down the Nationals’ first 13 hitters and struck out eight in five innings before CJ Abrams singled in the fourth inning. He allowed three runs in the fifth.

Baldwin drove home Ronald Acuña Jr. with an RBI double to get the Braves on the board in the sixth. Nacho Alvarez Jr.’s RBI single gave them a 4-3 lead.

Albies, Kim and Michael Harris II all had RBIs in a three-run ninth inning.

Dylan Crews, Robert Hassell III and James Wood had RBIs in the fifth inning to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead.

Washington reliever Clayton Beeter (0-3) allowed two earned runs in two-thirds of an inning in the sixth.

Key moment

The Braves’ go-ahead fourth run was a close call. Ozuna was tagged out sliding into third base on Alvarez’s RBI single, moments after Kim touched home plate. The Braves unsuccessfully challenged whether Ozuna was safe. The Nationals then unsuccessfully challenged whether Ozuna was tagged out before Kim touched home.

Key stat

Olson’s home run was his fifth in six games. He has 11 RBIs in that span.

Up next

After a day off on Thursday, the Braves plan to start RHP Bryce Elder (7-10, 5.56 ERA) on Friday against the Detroit Tigers. The Nationals have Thursday off and have not announced a starter for their series opener on Friday against the New York Mets.

Material from The Associated Press was used in the article.

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