Left-hander Josh Rogers, a last-minute substitute starter for the Nationals, pitched visiting Washington to an 11-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Monday in the opener of a three-game series.
Rogers was called up from Triple-A Rochester to replace Anibal Sanchez, who had landed on the injured list due to a cervical nerve impingement. Rogers (1-0) pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed only two hits and one run. He struck out three and walked two, throwing 74 pitches, 46 of them strikes, in his first career appearance against Atlanta.
The Washington offense was led by Maikel Franco, who went 4-for-5 with a homer and five RBIs. The Nationals amassed 15 hits and seven walks.
The Nationals got 1 2/3 shutout innings from Victor Arano and one scoreless frame from Hunter Harvey. Patrick Murphy gave up a run in the ninth.
The losing pitcher was Huascar Ynoa (0-1), who only lasted three innings and yielded five runs on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts. Rookies Spencer Strider (3 1/3 innings, one run) and Tucker Davidson (2 2/3 innings, five runs) finished the game for Atlanta.
The Braves got a run in the first inning on a double by Ozzie Albies and a two-out RBI single by Marcell Ozuna. Atlanta did not get another hit until there was one out in the ninth inning, when Ozuna singled.
The Nationals, after threatening and failing to score in the first two innings, broke through with a five-run third. An RBI single by Josh Bell, a two-run double by Lane Thomas and a two-run homer by Franco produced the runs.
Franco, who made the team as a non-roster player in the spring, now has 11 of his 122 career home runs against the Braves.
Cesar Hernandez, Bell, Yadiel Hernandez and Thomas all had two hits for the Nationals.
Washington posted its second win in a row while Atlanta lost its second straight.
–Field Level Media
