Former ValleyCat Tucker homers in Braves win

ATLANTA » Mike Foltynewicz outpitched Max Scherzer, former Tri-City ValleyCats outfielder Preston Tucker hit a three-run homer and the Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 7-1 on Wednesday.

Foltynewicz (1-0) allowed four hits, one run and two walks with eight strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. He snapped an eight-start skid during which he went 0-7 with a 7.34 ERA, ending the major leagues’ second-longest active losing streak.

Scherzer (1-1) gave up six hits, two walks and five runs — two earned — in five innings. The three-time Cy Young Award winner struck out seven.

The Braves, with three straight seasons of at least 90 losses, improved to 4-2 and are two games over .500 for the first time since April 22, 2015. They earned a rare second straight win over the Nationals, having gone 20-40 in the series over the last four years.

Foltynewicz was 2-2 with a 5.63 ERA in six career starts against Washington, but he got some breaks, including a big one with his bat, to get the win.

The Nationals cut the lead to 3-1 in the second when Foltynewicz hit Pedro Severino by a pitch and let him advance to second on a wild pitch. After Severino scored on Scherzer’s RBI single, Foltynewicz picked Scherzer off at first.

He benefited from a low called third strike against Severino to

end the fourth with a runner at third. In the bottom half of the inning, Foltynewicz, a career .084 hitter, doubled to make it 5-1.

The Braves led 3-0 in the first when Freddie Freeman doubled, Nick Markakis reached on second baseman Wilmer Difo’s fielding error and Tucker hit a three-run homer in the first for the second straight game.

Nationals slugger Bryce Harper began the day hitting .400 with four homers, nine RBIs and seven walks in the first five games. He went 0 for 3 with two walks and two strikeouts. He popped up with the bases loaded in the ninth.

Atlanta left-hander Sam Freeman faced one batter, striking out pinch hitter Ryan Zimmerman with the bases loaded to end the sixth. Freeman has no losses in 182 career appearances.