Smith blows save as Nationals top Braves

ATLANTA — Riley Adams’ two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning gave the Washington Nationals the lead as they rallied with three runs off closer Will Smith to beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Saturday night.

Smith blew a two-run edge in the ninth, wasting a strong start from Charlie Morton and costing Atlanta an opportunity to move past the New York Mets and into second place in the tight National League East Division. The Braves had won four games in a row to match their longest streak of the season.

Adams, a rookie catcher who took a .091 batting average into the game, crushed the first pitch he saw from Smith for a high home run, the first of his MLB career, into the seats beyond left field at Truist Park. The homer drove in Ryan Zimmerman, who had a pinch-hit double.

Morton allowed only three hits in six scoreless innings to outpitch Washington rookie Josiah Gray.

Smith blew a save for the third time in 25 chances this year. The left-hander walked Josh Bell before giving up Zimmerman’s double to open the ninth. Bell scored on Luis García’s groundout as Zimmerman advanced to third.

Atlanta’s Jorge Soler had two hits, including a home run for the early lead.

Morton escaped a oneout, bases-loaded jam in the sixth by striking out Yadiel Hernandez and Josh Bell.

With runners on first and second, Hernandez ended the top of the eighth by hitting a fly ball off Luke Jackson to the warning track in left field. Hernandez entered Saturday with a nine-game hitting streak but was unable to extend it.

Gray, making his second start since his trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 30, set a career high with 10 strikeouts. He allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits in five innings.

Soler pulled a fastball from Gray into the leftfield stands in the first inning for his 16th homer of the season. Atlanta added an unearned run off Gray in the third when catcher Stephen Vogt struck out but reached on a wild pitch and scored on Ozzie Albies’ single and center fielder Andrew Stevenson’s fielding error.

Andres Machado (1-0) had two strikeouts in a scoreless eighth. Kyle Finnegan pitched the ninth for his third save this year.

Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman left the game with an upper respiratory infection after playing only one inning.