WASHINGTON — Ozzie Albies homered for the fourth straight game, Dansby Swanson had two homers and six RBIs, and the surging Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 12-2 on Saturday night.
Albies’ 22nd homer of the season – a two-run shot off struggling Nationals starter Patrick Corbin (6-12) in the fifth inning – landed in the Washington bullpen in left-center field. Atlanta has won nine of 11 and kept pace at the top of the NL East standings with the Philadelphia Phillies, who beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-1 earlier in the day.
Washington is going in the opposite direction. The rebuilding Nationals have lost 11 of 12 and are 10-29 since July 1. They are 17 games under .500 for the first time since August 2010.
Albies has five homers in the last six games.
Max Fried (10-7), who has received a decision in each of his last 15 starts, allowed one earned run on five hits through six innings. He struck out seven with no walks and even got the first hit of the game for the Braves.
Swanson hit his 22nd homer in the seventh – a three-run drive over the Nationals’ bullpen – and his 23rd in the ninth, a solo shot to left field. He also had a two-out, two-run single in the fifth. Swanson has homered in back-to-back games.
Atlanta tied the franchise record with seven consecutive wins at Washington, equaling a mark set from Aug. 22, 2012, to Aug. 7, 2013. Overall, the Braves have won 16 of 21 in Washington since the start of the 2019 season.
Corbin lasted 4 2/3 innings and gave up six runs on seven hits while striking out five with two walks. The two-time All-Star has lost his last five decisions and has a major league-worst 6.04 ERA.
Adam Duvall added a solo homer in the ninth, his 26th of the season.
TOUGH OUT
Fried is batting .342 (13 for 38) this year. The last Braves pitcher to hit .300 or better in a season with a minimum of 40 plate appearances was Hall of Fame lefty Warren Spahn, who batted .333 in 1958.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Braves: Manager Brian Snitker said OF Eddie Rosario (oblique strain) is feeling good and that getting at-bats is the biggest thing while the veteran is at Triple-A Gwinnett. Rosario was acquired in a deadline trade and has yet to make his Atlanta debut. The 29-year-old has been on the IL since July 6.
UP NEXT
Braves LHP Drew Smyly (8-3, 4.41 ERA) will face Nationals RHP Paolo Espino (3-3, 3.74) in the series finale Sunday. Smyly has won his last six decisions, while the 34-year-old Espino has made 10 of his 13 career starts this season.
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