Washington Nationals’ Roger Bernadina, 33, steals second base as Atlanta Braves third baseman Ramiro Pena applies the late tag in the ninth inning of a baseball game in Atlanta.ATLANTA – Craig Stammen pitched four perfect innings after ace Stephen Strasburg left with an apparent injury, Denard Span tripled and scored two runs, and the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Friday night.
Strasburg lasted just two innings before leaving the shortest outing of his career. The Nationals did not give an update on Strasburg during the game.
The victory snapped a two-game skid for Washington, which trimmed its second-place deficit in the National League East to 4 1/2 games behind the Braves.
Atlanta has dropped two of three games and four of six. Washington has won three straight against the Braves after dropping nine consecutive meetings.
Strasburg left with a 2-1 lead. He allowed two hits and one run — a homer by Freddie Freeman — with no walks and two strikeouts.