WASHINGTON – Kyle Wright is just 24 years old, but the Atlanta Braves right-hander was getting tired of waiting for his first victory as a Major League Baseball pitcher.
He doesn’t have to worry about that any longer, and Atlanta’s underwhelming and beleaguered rotation might be gaining a little more punch from another young arm.
Ozzie Albies and Adam Duvall each hit a two-run homer off a laboring Max Scherzer, and Wright lasted six innings as the Braves rallied to an 8-4 win Sunday afternoon to take three of four in a weekend series with the Washington Nationals, the reigning World Series champions who are far outside the playoff picture.
Wright (1-4), who was 0-7 with a 7.86 ERA in 16 appearances in his MLB career before Sunday, allowed three earned runs, eight hits and two walks, striking out four batters.
“It took a lot longer than expected,” he said of his first victory, which came more than two years after his Atlanta debut. “I felt like I kind of got away from myself a little bit. Now I’m slowly getting back to where I need to be. I still have a long way to go, but I definitely like the way I am trending.”