Folty dominant; Braves top Nats
ATLANTA — Mike Foltynewicz pitched a two-hitter for his first career complete game, and Dansby Swanson hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning as the Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 4-0 Friday night.
Foltynewicz (5-3) retired 20 straight batters before issuing a leadoff walk in the eighth to outpitch Stephen Strasburg, who left the game with apparent discomfort in his left wrist after 6 2/3 innings.
The first-place Braves, winners of five of their past seven, moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Nationals in the NL East.
A night after Sean Newcomb pitched seven strong innings to snap Washington’s six-game winning streak, Foltynewicz was even better as he improved to 3-1 with a 0.56 ERA in his past five starts. He struck out 11 and walked one, throwing 73 of his 106 pitches for strikes.
Foltynewicz allowed a second-inning single to Bryce Harper, then sent 20 straight Nationals back to the dugout before Juan Soto walked in the eighth. Foltynewicz closed it out in the ninth by striking out pinch-hitter Michael Taylor, getting Wilmer Difo to ground out, allowing a single to Trea Turner and striking out Harper to end it.
The Braves got all the runs they needed with four in the seventh off Strasburg (6-5).
Nick Markakis singled, advanced to third on Kurt Suzuki’s single and scored when first baseman Matt Adams booted Johan Camargo’s grounder. Adams was trying to field the ball and throw out Markakis at the plate when the ball bounced off his glove and Adams inadvertently kicked it.
With runners on first and second and none out, Strasburg struck out Preston Tucker before Swanson hit his fourth homer of the season into the leftfield seats. He then struck out Foltynewicz, stepped back, placed his glove on the mound and called for a trainer. Strasburg left the game flexing his left wrist.
Strasburg allowed seven hits and four runs (three earned). He struck out 10, the third time this year he has racked up double-digit strikeouts and the 39th time in his career.
Atlanta’s Freddie Freeman went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to 14 games. He’s hitting .338 this season and .407 since May 9. It was his 23rd multi-hit game this season, one behind teammate Ozzie Albies for the National League lead and one ahead of Markakis.
The Braves lead the NL in runs, hits and batting average, and they have struck out the second-fewest times in the league.
Atlanta left-hander Luiz Gohara, who has been on the bereavement list, is expected to return from Brazil and throw a side session today. When he returns to the active roster, manager Brian Snitker expects him to work out of the bullpen before the team looks at getting him back in the rotation for the long term.
Washington left-hander Gio Gonzalez (6-2, 2.10) and Atlanta right-hander Brandon McCarthy (5-2, 5.02) are the scheduled starters tonight. McCarthy is trying to shake off a rough May — he went 1-2 with a 7.46 ERA in five starts last month — but he is 0-2 with a 2.80 ERA in four career starts against Washington.