08/01/26 08:50:00
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08/01 20:48 CDT Martn Prez flirts with a no-hitter as Braves power past
Nationals 8-3
Martn Prez flirts with a no-hitter as Braves power past Nationals 8-3
By BILL TROCCHI
Associated Press
ATLANTA (AP) --- Martn Prez held Washington hitless until the seventh inning,
Ronald Acua Jr., Matt Olson and Dominic Smith hit home runs, and the Atlanta
Braves beat the Nationals 8-3 on Saturday night, their third straight win in
the series.
Prez (7-6) started in place of Reynaldo Lpez, who was scratched 35 minutes
before the game with left knee inflammation.
He allowed one hit, no runs and had six strikeouts in seven innings on 78
pitches against the highest scoring team in Major League Baseball. Brady House
broke up the no-hit bid with a clean single to right field.
The Braves have not had a no-hitter since 1994, when Kent Mercker shut down the
Dodgers in a 6-0 victory. They have just four since the team moved to Atlanta
in 1966.
Austin Riley was 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs and Mike Yastrzemski had two hits and
scored a run for the Braves, who are 8-2 at home since the All-Star break.
Acua and Olson hit back-to-back homers in the first inning to give the Braves
a lead they would not relinquish. Smith added a 403-foot home run to lead off
the fourth. Smith's home run came after he kept his at-bat alive by
successfully challenging what would have been strike three.
Trailing 8-0, the Nats scored three runs in the eighth on an RBI double by
Dylan Crews and a two-run single by CJ Abrams.
Miles Mikolas (3-8) took the loss after allowing five runs in six innings. He
gave up nine hits, including the three home runs.
The Nationals have lost four straight and are 55-57 two days before the trade
deadline.
Up next
Nationals RHP Cade Cavalli (7-4, 3.58 ERA) will start the series finale Sunday.
The Braves have yet to announce a starting pitcher.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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