Atlanta Braves third baseman Josh Donaldson goes over the railing and into the camera well as he chases a foul ball hit by the Washington Nationals’ Juan Soto in the ninth inning of Saturday’s game in Atlanta. Donaldson did not make the catch, and Washington won 5-3.ATLANTA – Washington Nationals closer Sean Doolittle knew his team couldn’t afford to falter in the late innings for the second straight night.
“I hesitate to use the phrase that today was a must-win game because it’s still the third week of July,” Doolittle said. “But after a tough one last night and knowing what the standings already are, I think tonight was really, really important for us.”
Aníbal Sánchez outpitched Mike Soroka and scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning, Matt Adams homered and Washington beat the Atlanta Braves 5-3 on Saturday night.
Washington, second in the National League’s East Division, pulled within 5 1/2 games of the first-place Braves, who have dropped four of their past five games. The Nationals improved to 33-14 since May 24, best in the majors over that span.
Sánchez (6-6) got a big assist in the bottom of the fifth when shortstop Trea Turner turned a bases-loaded double play, leaping to nab a line drive by Nick Markakis and throwing to first to beat Josh Donaldson back to the bag.
Soroka (10-2) allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings. The 21-year-old All-Star had won 10 straight decisions, the best such run by an Atlanta pitcher since Hall of Famer Greg Maddux had a 10-decision streak in 2001.
“They’ve got a very good team and they’re very hot of late, too,” Soroka said. “They’re coming to win, too, with the same intent we do. It’s going to be fun down the road. We play them a lot.”
Doolittle got the last five outs, facing the minimum, for his 21st save in 25 chances this year. He struck out Ronald Acuña Jr. with a runner at second to end the eighth and breezed through the ninth.
That was hardly the case Friday, when Donaldson won it in the ninth off Fernando Rodney. This time, Rodney retired one batter in the eighth before Doolittle came in.
“I was able to pick him up,” Doolittle said. “I felt really good about that because I think the last time I came in with his runner on, I didn’t pick him up. I really wanted to help him out after he extended himself last night.”
Washington went up 4-1 in the fifth when Sánchez reached on an infield single to third, took second on Donaldson’s throwing error and scored on Turner’s double. Turner took third on Adam Eaton’s single and scored on Anthony Rendon’s single. Eaton scored on Juan Soto’s single.
The Nationals took a 5-3 lead in the eighth off A.J. Minter as Turner singled, stole second and scored on Eaton’s single.
Adams went deep for the 15th time, an opposite-field homer that bounced off the top of the wall in left-center field and into the stands to tie it at 1-all in the fourth.
Sánchez, who pitched for the Braves last year and helped them win the division, allowed three runs and six hits. He has a 2.70 ERA in his past nine starts.
Atlanta led 1-0 in the first when Acuña reached on an infield single, stole second base, advanced on a flyout and scored on Freddie Freeman’s single.
Brian McCann’s ninth homer of the year, a two-run shot in the sixth, chased Sánchez and cut the lead to 4-3.
Donaldson walked in the third and has reached safely in 17 straight games.
Acuña has reached safely in 26 straight games, the longest active streak in the majors. He added two stolen bases and has seven in his past five games to become the first Brave since Jason Heyward in 2012 to have a 20-homer, 20-stolen base season.
Rendon went 2-for-4 and is batting .436 with seven RBIs, five walks and six runs scored in his past nine games.