Monday, April 27, 2015

Atlanta Braves: Johnson’s homer helps Braves beat reeling Nats

The Latest Local News from the Rome News

ATLANTA — Kelly Johnson homered and drove in three runs, Eric Stults pitched 6 1-3 innings and the Atlanta Braves beat Washington 8-4 on Monday night to give the Nationals their sixth straight loss.

Johnson’s two-run homer into the right-field seats came in Atlanta’s three-run sixth inning off Doug Fister (1-1). Fister gave up 10 hits and five runs, four earned, in 5 2-3 innings.

The Nationals committed four errors, including two by Fister on errant pickoff attempts. The losing streak is Washington’s longest since six straight from July 19-24, 2013. Stults (1-1) allowed two runs on four hits and three walks. Johnson had three hits, including a run-scoring single off Rafael Martin in the seventh.

Before the game, Nationals manager Matt Williams said right-hander Max Scherzer will not make his scheduled start tonight because of a sprained right thumb.

Williams said Scherzer had difficulty throwing his slider. Scherzer jammed his thumb while batting against St. Louis on Thursday but could return within a few days. Cody Johnson took over for Stults with one out in the seventh and hit Reed Johnson with a pitch to load the bases. Denard Span’s fly ball to center field drove in Wilson Ramos, who singled. Cody Johnson struck out Ryan Zimmerman to end the inning.

A video review was needed to determine the pitch skimmed Reed Johnson’s hand Both dugouts were warned after Washington’s Rafael Martin hit Andrelton Simmons with a pitch to open the bottom of the seventh. Simmons moved to third when Chris Johnson’s grounder bounced past Ian Desmond.

It was Desmond’s ninth error in 20 games. Washington third baseman Yunel Escobar left the game in the fifth after his left hand was cut on Simmons’ slide into the bag. Simmons, who advanced from first on Fister’s errant pickoff throw for an error, kicked the ball out of Escobar’s glove with the slide.

Simmons was stranded on third when Freddie Freeman struck out while trying to check his swing. Freeman, standing well up the first-base line, was ejected after flipping his helmet.

Dan Uggla, who entered the game after Escobar’s injury, had a run-scoring triple off Cody Martin in the eighth. Uggla scored on Jace Peterson’s throwing error.

TRAINERS’S ROOM

Nationals: IF Anthony Rendon (left knee sprain) was scratched from a scheduled injury rehabilitation game with Double-A Harrisburg on Monday due to fatigue. Williams said Rendon is working at third base and second base at Harrisburg in preparation to play both positions with the Nationals.

Braves: Manager Fredi Gonzalez is concerned about his suddenly ailing defense. The Braves had one error through their first 12 games before committing nine errors in their last six games of a 3-6 road trip, including four on Friday night at Philadelphia. Peterson added two throwing errors against the Nationals.

UP NEXT

Nationals: RHP Tanner Roark may be the fill-in starter against the Braves on Tuesday night. Roark, 0-2 with a 2.89 ERA in six relief appearances this year, was 15-10 with a 2.85 ERA in 31 starts last year. Williams wasn’t ready to name the starter before Monday night’s game.

Braves: RHP Julio Teheran will try to bounce back after walking five batters in 4 1-3 innings in a 6-3 loss to the Mets on Thursday. Teheran is 2-1 with a 4.64 ERA.

© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: Rome News

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