WASHINGTON -- James Wood continued his torrid start to the season Tuesday, reaching base five times and clobbering his team-leading eighth home run of the season as the Nationals beat the Braves 11-4 at Nationals Park.
Wood drew a leadoff walk in the Nationals’ three-run first inning and led off the second with a titanic 412-foot opposite-field homer. The Wood blast came on a full count with a 114.5 mph exit velocity. It was his fifth career 114+ mph homer. All other Nationals have four such home runs combined (Bryce Harper 2x, Juan Soto and Kyle Schwarber) under Statcast since 2015.
The early damage from Wood and the Nationals came against Atlanta starter Reynaldo López, who lasted just one inning plus two batters in his shortest outing of the season.
The Nationals entered the night with a Major League best 22 first-inning runs and again went to work early against López. The first six Nationals all reached base, with Jacob Young and Nasim Nuñez delivering RBI singles and Daylen Lile drawing a bases-loaded walk. As Lopez labored through a 46-pitch first inning, the Nationals built a 3-0 lead they would never surrender.
Nationals lefty Foster Griffin pitched a season-high six innings, limiting the Braves to three runs on five hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Griffin joined Cade Cavalli (Apr. 1 in Philadelphia) as the second Nationals pitcher to complete six innings in a start this season.
Wood also showed off his range in the outfield, making a diving catch to rob Eli White of extra bases to lead off the third. Wood’s discipline at the plate was on display again in his third plate appearance, as he fought back from an 0-2 count against Braves reliever José Suarez to draw an 11-pitch walk.
Wood was walked twice more in the fifth and seventh innings – once intentionally – bringing his season total to a National-League best 21 free passes.
With Wood frequently on base ahead of him, Luis García Jr. delivered with a season-high four hits and three RBIs. García, who entered play in a 4-for-41 funk, finished the night 4-for-5.
As a team, the Nationals drew 12 walks for the first time since Apr. 7, 2019 against the Mets.