ATLANTA – Adam Duvall drove in three runs with two hits, and the Atlanta Braves turned a catcher’s interference call into a three-run rally to beat the Washington Nationals 8-4 on Friday night for their fourth consecutive win.
The Braves matched their longest winning streak of the season and are one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies, who beat the New York Mets 4-2 on Friday to move into first place in the National League East Division. Atlanta (56-54) is one-half game behind the Mets (56-53). The Phillies improved to 57-53.
The fourth-place Nationals have lost five in a row and 12 of their past 16, and they fell to eight games back in the NL East, having already dealt veterans for prospects last week at the MLB trade deadline.
Freddie Freeman had three hits, including a two-run single in the eighth, and scored two runs for the Braves, who are trying to win their fourth straight division title but had not been above .500 this season until Thursday night’s win in St. Louis to sweep a three-game series against the Cardinals.
“It was a huge weight off our shoulders to finally get above .500,” said Austin Riley, who drove in two runs on two hits. “… We’ve just got to continue to play baseball the way we know we’re capable of playing. We’re right there in the hunt.”