CJ Abrams hit a home run, and Jake Irvin allowed just one run and two hits over six innings as the Washington Nationals defeated the Atlanta Braves 5-1 on Wednesday night.
Atlanta’s starter Max Fried kept his team in the game, but the Braves only managed six hits and fell one game behind the Mets, who won 6-2 against the Blue Jays, in the race for the third NL wild card. Atlanta has now lost six of its last eleven games.
“We’ve just been having a hard time scoring runs,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker. “You still have to score. You got to really, really pitch good, which we have, but the offense has got to be more consistent if you’re going to support the pitching.”
Fried (9-9) gave up four runs on 11 hits over six innings, striking out six and walking none, with one hit batter on 94 pitches. The left-hander has pitched at least six innings in four of his last five starts, but this was the first time he allowed four earned runs since August 10.
“You can’t control a lot but at the same time it’s frustrating because we’re trying to win games,” Fried said. “It doesn’t matter if a ball is hit 40 mph or 120 mph, I’d much rather be getting an out. It’s frustrating.”
Irvin (10-12) kept the Braves hitless for 5 2/3 innings. He struck out five, walked one, and is 2-0 with a 1.16 ERA in four starts against Atlanta this season.
“Those guys get to see me a lot, but the role’s reversed as well,” Irvin said. “Just understanding what those guys do and how we can best pitch around them and pitch to them, I think helped out a lot.”
Abrams’ 420-foot home run over the center-field wall in the fourth inning was the fourth longest of his career and left the park at 105.8 mph. With his 20th homer, he becomes the fifth Nationals player to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in a season, joining Lane Thomas (2023), Bryce Harper (2016), Ian Desmond (2012, 2013, 2014), and Alfonso Soriano (2006).
