Rookie Bryce Elder pitched a six-hitter and the visiting Atlanta Braves smacked three home runs to defeat the host Washington Nationals 8-0 on Monday night.
Atlanta (96-58) moved within one game of the idle New York Mets for first place in the National League East.
Matt Olson, Marcell Ozuna and Orlando Arcia homered for the Braves, who began the day with a visit to the White House in honor of their 2021 World Series win.
The 23-year-old Elder (2-3), making his eighth start, struck out six with one walk. He allowed only one extra-base hit, a double, while throwing 106 pitches in his first complete game.
Luis Garcia had a double and a single for Washington (53-100), in a game that took just 2 hours, 24 minutes.
Washington starter Cory Abbott (0-4) allowed five runs, four earned, on three hits and three walks in five-plus innings. He struck out seven.
Atlanta’s Austin Riley was hit by a pitch with one out in the fourth and, with two outs, Olson smacked a first-pitch changeup to right for his 29th homer of the season.
Moments later, Washington right fielder Lane Thomas robbed Eddie Rosario of extra bases with a leaping catch at the fence.
Ozuna made it 3-0 when he homered to left leading off the fifth.
Atlanta broke it open with a five-run sixth. Riley led off with a walk and Michael Harris II singled him to third. After Andres Machado replaced Abbott, Harris stole second and Olson hit a sacrifice fly to score Riley. William Contreras was hit by a pitch and Harris scored on a fielder’s choice play at second. Ozuna doubled home Rosario and Arcia capped the inning with a two-run homer to center.
The Nationals loaded the bases against Elder with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but Luke Voit lined into a double play to end the threat.
–Field Level Media
