Recap: Atlanta vs. Washington
Sports Network | September 07, 2008
Atlanta, GA (Sports Network) - Elijah Dukes' three-run double in the 14th inning put the Nationals on top, and Washington held on for a 7-4 win in the finale of a four-game set. Lastings Milledge homered, and Alberto Gonzalez homered and hit the game-tying two-run double in the eighth for Washington, which won back-to-back extra inning games to earn a split in the series. Collin Balester gave up four runs on 11 hits in six innings to take a no- decision for Washington, and Steven Shell (2-1) got the win with two scoreless innings of relief. Chipper Jones went 3-for-6 and drove in two runs for the Braves, who were swept by the last-place Nationals in Washington at the end of August, and then dropped two straight after winning the first two of this series. Jo-Jo Reyes gave up one run on four hits in six frames for a no-decision, and Jeff Bennett (2-6) gave up Dukes' bases-clearing double in the 14th to take the loss. Bennett walked Anderson Hernandez to start the 14th, and Willie Harris legged out an infield single. Ryan Zimmerman's groundout moved the runners up, so Bennett intentionally walked Milledge to keep the double play in order. Dukes sent a line drive into the gap in left, though, plating all three runners to put Washington in front. Joel Hanrahan walked pinch-hitter James Parr with two outs in the home half, then gave up a double to Yunel Escobar to bring the tying run to the plate. Hanrahan got Jeff Francoeur to ground out to short, though, to nail down the win and Hanrahan's eighth save. Trailing 1-0 after Milledge's leadoff homer in the second, the Braves bounced right back with three runs in the home-half. Brandon Jones singled up the middle, moved to third on Reyes' one-out base hit and crossed the plate on Grego Blanco's RBI single. After Martin Prado fanned, Jones ripped a two- run double to center that made it a 3-1 game. Atlanta added an insurance run in the sixth after Blanco got on with a two-out single, swiped second and came around on Prado's run-scoring single. Gonzalez led off the seventh by ripping his first homer of the year, off Julian Tavarez, to draw Washington within 4-2. The Nats then evened things in the eighth off Blaine Boyer. Milledge started things with an infield single, and after Luke Montz drew a two-out walk, Gonzalez slapped a two-run double to right. Game Notes Reyes was scheduled to start in the series opener on Thursday, but was pushed back to be with his wife, who gave birth to their first child. He pitched today to replace rookie Charlie Morton and keep Parr on his regular turn in the rotation for Thursday...Washington won the season series 12-6. Game Notes Reyes was scheduled to start in the series opener on Thursday, but was pushed back to be with his wife, who gave birth to their first child. He pitched today to replace rookie Charlie Morton and keep Parr on his regular turn in the rotation for Thursday...Washington won the season series 12-6.
