ATLANTA – Jordan Zimmermann won for the first time in four starts and hit a three-run single to help the Washington Nationals beat the Atlanta Braves 13-4 on Wednesday night.
Denard Span, who had five hits the previous night, added a three-run homer in the ninth. The Nationals banged out 15 hits again, giving them 30 hits and 26 runs scored over the last two games.
The biggest swing in this one belonged to their starting pitcher. In 264 career at-bats over seven seasons, Zimmermann had just 12 RBIs, but his bases-loaded single in the four-run fourth inning gave Washington the lead for good.
On the mound, Zimmermann (2-2) gave up eight hits, one walk and four runs – three earned – with seven strikeouts in seven innings.
Washington has won two straight after dropping six in a row. Atlanta has lost seven of nine.
Washington Nationals’ Bryce Harper (34) and Jayson Werth (28) are congratulated by teammate Dan Uggla, left, after scoring on on a single by Danny Espinosa as Atlanta Braves catcher A.J. Pierzynski walks away during their game Wednesday, April 29, 2015, in Atlanta. Braves starter Alex Wood (1-1) allowed six hits and five runs, striking out eight in five innings. The left-hander had gone 15 straight starts without allowing more than three earned runs and had a 2.18 ERA over that span since last July 30 at the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Washington cut the lead to 2-1 in the second on Wilson Ramos’ RBI single, but the Nationals took a 5-3 lead in the fourth.
Bryce Harper doubled and scored from second when left fielder Kelly Johnson bobbled Ryan Zimmerman’s single. After Danny Espinosa singled and Uggla walked, Zimmermann cleared the bases with a single into the gap in left-center.
Trevor Cahill replaced Wood, giving up Uggla’s RBI groundout in the sixth and Jayson Werth’s RBI single and Espinosa’s two-run single in the seventh to make it 9-4.
In the ninth, Uggla had an RBI single and Span added his second homer, a three-run shot off John Cornely, to put the Nationals up 13-4.
The Braves went up 2-0 in the first on A.J. Pierzynski’s two-run double and 3-1 in the third on Freddie Freeman’s RBI single. Atlanta cut the lead to 5-4 in the fifth when Eric Young Jr. scored on Nick Markakis’ double-play grounder.