Braves sweep Nationals with 9-4 win, Ozuna drives in 3 runs

WASHINGTON (AP) — Marcell Ozuna drove in three runs, Matt Olson hit a solo homer, and the Atlanta Braves completed a four-game sweep with a 9-4 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday.

Ozuna hit a single to right field in the sixth inning to drive in Ozzie Albies and Drake Baldwin to tie the game at 3-all. His double to right in the eighth drove home Ha-Seong Kim to make it 6-3.

Olson hit his 28th home run of the season in the fifth.

Braves starter Hurston Waldrep (5-1) shut down the Nationals’ first 13 hitters and struck out eight in five innings before CJ Abrams singled in the fourth inning. He allowed three runs in the fifth.

Baldwin drove home Ronald Acuña Jr. with an RBI double to get the Braves on the board in the sixth . Nacho Alvarez Jr.’s RBI single gave them a 4-3 lead.

Albies, Kim and Michael Harris II all had RBIs in a three-run ninth inning.

Dylan Crews, Robert Hassell III and James Wood had RBIs in the fifth inning to give the Nationals a 3-0 lead.

Washington reliever Clayton Beeter (0-3) allowed two earned runs in two-thirds of an inning in the sixth.

Key moment

The Braves' go-ahead fourth run was a close call. Ozuna was tagged out sliding into third base on Alvarez's RBI single, moments after Kim touched home plate. The Braves unsuccessfully challenged whether Ozuna was safe. The Nationals then unsuccessfully challenged whether Ozuna was tagged out before Kim touched home.

Key stat

Olson's home run was his fifth in six games. He has 11 RBIs in that span.

Up next

After a day off on Thursday, the Braves plan to start RHP Bryce Elder (7-10, 5.56 ERA) on Friday against the Detroit Tigers. The Nationals have Thursday off and have not announced a starter for their series opener on Friday against the New York Mets.

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