ATLANTA (AP) — Luke Williams scored from third on CJ Abrams’ throwing error from shortstop with two outs in the 10th inning and the Atlanta Braves won for the fifth time in six games, beating the Washington Nationals 3-2 on Friday night.
Braves closer Raisel Iglesias (3-1) pitched two innings, struck out three and earned the win. He extended his streak of retiring batters to 38 with a perfect ninth before it ended in the 10th when he hit Jacob Young with a pitch to start the inning. He then retired the next three Nationals.
“It is amazing what he is doing,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “Efficiency, situations. He did the same thing on the road, which is almost impossible to do. He’s probably the greatest team player I’ve ever been around. His stuff is just so good.”
Iglesias has thrown 13 hitless innings dating to July 27, and 17 scoreless innings dating to July 8, when he surrendered an unearned run.
“You almost just come to expect it,” Atlanta’s Chris Sale said.
Michael Harris II, who led off the game with a home run, hit the hard grounder to short in the 10th. Abrams fielded the ball, but made a low throw to first, allowing Williams to score and ending the game.
“I gotta make a better throw in that situation,” Abrams said. “Maybe take a little more time. I think I had more time than I thought. … We all fought.”
Harris did not get an RBI on the game-winning play. His speed may have been a factor in rushing Abrams.
“In that situation, with two outs, you try to put the ball in play and see what happens,” Harris said.
Eduardo Salazar (0-1) took the loss.
Sale pitched seven innings and gave up two runs on nine hits with one walk. His four strikeouts matched a season low.
“It was one of those dogfight games,” Sale said. “We’re deep into the season. It was tit for tat the entire game.”
Nationals starter MacKenzie Gore gave up just one run on seven hits over six innings. He struck out four and did not walk a batter in 88 pitches.
Ramón Laureano had three hits for the Braves.
The Braves tied the game 2-all in the seventh on a double by Gio Urshela, who advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Orlando Arcia.
The Nationals pieced together a two-out rally in the fourth inning to take a 2-1 lead. Juan Yepez reached after hitting a slow roller up the third base line that stayed fair. Kelbert Ruiz followed with a ground rule double to right field that landed just inside the foul line after Braves right fielder Jorge Soler couldn’t run it down. It was Soler’s first start since straining a hamstring on Aug. 14. Andrés Chaparro knocked in both runners with a double to give the Nationals a 2-1 lead.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Nationals: Right fielder Alex Call injured his right foot coming in on a fly ball in the second inning and left the game in a cart. He is awaiting results from an MRI.
UP NEXT
The Nationals will start RHP Jake Irvin (9-10, 3.81) against Braves RHP Charlie Morton (7-7, 2.29) in the second game of the three-game series.
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