ATLANTA – That was a close one.
In a rain-soaked contest that featured two weather delays (one that delayed first pitch for 20 minutes and another that caused a one hour, 28 minute pause in play), the Nationals staved off a ninth-inning Braves rally to edge Atlanta 2-1 on Sunday at Truist Park.
It was Washington’s first series win at Truist Park since 2024.
After the Nationals one-hit the Braves in a 2-0 victory on Saturday, Washington’s pitching staff once again stymied Atlanta’s potent offense for most of Sunday.
That was, until reliever Gus Varland got into hot water in the bottom of the ninth. Varland allowed singles to Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley to put runners on first and third with no one out.
Varland was relieved by Richard Lovelady, who induced a Michael Harris II flyout for the first out, but second baseman Nasim Nuñez booted a hard ground ball off the bat of Eli White that could have been a game-ending double play. Instead, Albies scored from third, Riley was safe at second and White reached first.
After Lovelady walked Ha-Seong Kim to load the bases, he was relieved by Orlando Ribalta. Ribalta’s first batter faced was Chadwick Tromp, who was responsible for Friday’s walk-off single.
Rilbalta struck out Tromp and slammed the door as he induced a weak Ronald Acuña Jr. groundout to strand three runners.
Starting pitcher Foster Griffin allowed three hits with six strikeouts and one walk over six scoreless innings. It was Griffin’s fifth quality start of the season.
In Washington’s past four games, its rotation (including Miles Mikolas following an opener Friday) has a 0.78 ERA, with two earned runs allowed over 23 innings.
Entering Sunday’s series finale, the Nationals tallied one hit with runners in scoring position in their prior three games (1-for-26).
Washington changed that narrative as it went 3-for-7 with runners in scoring position.
Nasim Nuñez and Luis García each tallied RBI singles.