Washington Nationals Recap: Harper, Strasburg Fuel Sweep

The Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 6-1 Thursday afternoon behind Bryce Harper’s 100th career home run and a strong day on the mound by Stephen Strasburg.

After getting scratched from his originally scheduled start Thursday with an illness, the Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg (2-0, 1.98 ERA) returned to the mound in dominant fashion. The former No. 1 overall pick opened up the game retiring five of the first seven hitters that stepped in the batter’s box.

Atlanta was able to squeeze a run out of Strasburg in the third, scoring Jace Peterson on a two-out RBI single off the bat of Nick Markakis. They wouldn’t be able to muster much more against him after that, however. Following Markakis’s single, the Braves sent 17 hitters to the plate before Strasburg finally left the game in the eighth, but only managed to muster two hits over that span.

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Julio Teheran (0-2, 6.35) made the start for Atlanta, who was still looking for their first win of the year after opening up regular season play with an abysmal 0-8 record. He carved through the Washington lineup over the first two innings, but the Nats were able to build a rally in the third.

Matt den Dekker, who made his first start of the year after Jayson Werth was given the day off, kicked off the frame with an eight pitch at-bat that ended in a leadoff walk. After Danny Espinosa flied out to left and Den Dekker was thrown out at second on a bad bunt by Strasburg, it looked like Teheran might be able to get out of the inning.

Unfortunately for Atlanta, Chris Heisey knocked his first base hit in a Nats uniform and Anthony Rendon followed with a single of his own to load the bases for reigning MVP Bryce Harper. Harper then promptly crushed a 1-0 pitch off the digital panel in front of the second deck in right-center field for his 100th career home run and first grand slam in the majors to make it 4-1 Nats.

At 23 years, 181 days old, @Bharper3407 is the 8th-youngest player in MLB history to hit 100 HR. #100HarperHomers pic.twitter.com/gG86qzeZ8n
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) April 14, 2016

The next inning, Washington added onto their lead on Wilson Ramos’s first homer of the season, a solo shot to left-center. While Strasburg was holding the Braves scoreless, the Nats’ offense continued to hit Teheran around. Ramos came through again two innings later with an RBI double with two outs to push their lead to five. The Buffalo is hitting .407/.407/.556 on the season with five RBI’s.

Washington Nationals Recap: Harper, Strasburg Fuel Win in Series Finale to Sweep Braves

By Matt Weyrich | Apr 14, 2016

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