Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. hits a solo residence run in the course of the first inning of a baseball recreation towards the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, in Washington. Credit score: AP/Andrew Harnik
Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. will get a hug from Atlanta Braves supervisor Brian Snitker within the dugout after hitting a solo residence run in the course of the first inning of a baseball recreation towards the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, in Washington. With the hit, Acuña turned the fifth participant in MLB historical past with 40 residence runs and 40 stolen bases in a season. Credit score: AP/Andrew Harnik
Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo residence run in the course of the first inning of a baseball recreation towards the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, in Washington. With the hit, Acuña turned the fifth participant in MLB historical past with 40 residence runs and 40 stolen bases in a season. Credit score: AP/Andrew Harnik
WASHINGTON — Ronald Acuna Jr. joined the unique 40-40 membership because the Atlanta Braves beat the Washington Nationals 9-6 on Friday evening.
With the win, Atlanta strikes 4 video games forward of the Dodgers for the highest seed within the Nationwide League. The Braves maintain the tiebreaker over Los Angeles primarily based on a 4-3 season sequence.
Acuna’s fortieth homer led off the sport towards Nats left-hander Patrick Corbin. The blast was Acuna’s thirty fourth leadoff residence run in his profession and eighth this season. He’s the primary participant to have 40 homers and no less than 60 stolen bases in a single season.
Acuna joins Alphonso Soriano (2006), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Barry Bonds (1996) and Jose Canseco (1988) within the 40-40 membership.
“It’s elite firm, that’s for positive,” supervisor Brian Snitker stated. “I’m simply glad I acquired a entrance row seat to look at it.”
Acuna additionally doubled and scored three runs. He has hit safely in 14 of his final 15 video games, with eight homers and 15 RBIs in that span. His 143 runs scored are essentially the most since Rodriguez additionally tallied 143 runs in his 2007 MVP marketing campaign.
“He’s wholesome,” Snitker stated. “He wasn’t wholesome final yr and he has been from the get go this yr. I feel that’s a product of him doing what he can do as a result of he’s wholesome once more.”
Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. will get a hug from Atlanta Braves supervisor Brian Snitker within the dugout after hitting a solo residence run in the course of the first inning of a baseball recreation towards the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, in Washington. With the hit, Acuña turned the fifth participant in MLB historical past with 40 residence runs and 40 stolen bases in a season. Credit score: AP/Andrew Harnik
Austin Riley hit a two-run residence run off Corbin and completed with 4 RBIs. Marcel Ozuna added a three-run shot within the seventh.
Braves starter Charlie Morton walked two batters and left the sport because of proper index finger discomfort after throwing 24 pitches within the first inning. Michael Tonkin earned the win with two innings of labor, permitting one run. Raisel Iglesias earned his thirtieth save.
Corbin (10-14) lasted 4 1/3 innings, surrendering 5 runs on 5 hits, together with each homers, with one stroll and one strikeout. CJ Abrams went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBIs. The Nationals are 7-18 since August 27.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. celebrates as he runs the bases after hitting a solo residence run in the course of the first inning of a baseball recreation towards the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park, Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, in Washington. With the hit, Acuña turned the fifth participant in MLB historical past with 40 residence runs and 40 stolen bases in a season. Credit score: AP/Andrew Harnik
The Braves positioned LHP Max Fried on the 15-day injured checklist with a blister on his left index finger and recalled RHP Darius Vines from Triple-A.
Snitker stated Fried can proceed to throw and believes the left-hander will probably be prepared to start out when the playoffs start.
“He’ll be capable of come off proper earlier than the Division Sequence,” Snitker stated. “Hopefully, he makes his begin in that sequence and he can proceed to throw now. It was dangerous sufficient the place he wasn’t going to make his subsequent begin. It’s simply form of unlucky.”
The Nationals positioned RHP Jake Irvin was positioned on the 15-day IL with proper ankle tendinitis. LHP Joe La Sorsa was recalled from Triple-A.
GOODBYE TO DOO
Nats left-handed nearer Sean Doolittle introduced his retirement Friday after eleven seasons. He received a World Sequence with Washington in 2019. Doolittle determined to surrender on his season-long rehab after injuring his proper knee once more this summer season in Florida.
“There have been occasions the place I’ve been like, ‘man, I’m by no means going to play once more,'” Doolittle stated. “That’s unhappy. However I’ve been so fortunate that as I look again on these moments, the gratitude outweighs the unhappiness.”
NEXT UP
Saturday’s recreation has been postponed. Sunday will probably be a cut up doubleheader at 1:35 p.m. and 6:35 p.m.
