ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves opened a four-game set against the Washington Nationals with a one-run escape Thursday night, rallying from three runs down for a 5–4 win at Truist Park.
According to the Associated Press recap published on ESPN, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mike Yastrzemski homered and Ozzie Albies’ two-run single in the sixth broke a 3–3 tie. Atlanta managed only four hits on the night. Eight of the Braves’ last nine games had been decided by one run entering the final out.
How the deficit happened
Nationals starter Jake Irvin made his first start since May 23, when he no-hit the Braves over five innings before landing on the injured list the next day, the AP wrote. He retired the first 10 Atlanta hitters before Acuña lifted a solo shot into the Braves’ bullpen that cut Washington’s lead to 3–1.
Daylen Lile hit two of Washington’s three solo home runs off Braves starter Grant Holmes; Luis García Jr. supplied the third and finished 3-for-5 with a run-scoring triple, per the same recap. The Nationals’ July home-run binge sat at 48 for the month — one off the franchise monthly record of 49 set in September 2012.
Irvin ultimately allowed five runs in five innings, including Yastrzemski’s two-run homer in the fifth that knotted the game.
Bullpen finishes it
Victor Mederos earned the first win of his four-year career with a one-run inning of relief. Dylan Lee worked a perfect eighth, and Raisel Iglesias closed a clean ninth for his 23rd save — and his second straight night, the AP noted.
The Nationals stranded six runners in scoring position, undoing a night that began with early long-ball momentum.
Standings and series context
Postgame NL East tables on ESPN showed Atlanta at 64–45 (.587) and alone in first, with Philadelphia 7 games back after a third straight loss. Washington dropped to 55–55. The clubs were scheduled to continue the series Friday with Bryce Elder (6–6, 3.96) facing Foster Griffin (12–2, 2.76).
Thursday’s result extended Atlanta’s habit of living on the edge: one-run baseball has defined the club’s late-July stretch, and the home comeback kept the first-place cushion intact heading into a long weekend series.
What Braves fans should watch
- Whether Iglesias’ back-to-back save workload reshapes weekend bullpen roles
- Acuña’s power return after the injured-list stretch earlier in the Mets series week
- Elder’s Friday assignment against Griffin’s strong season line
- How the offense produces when hits remain scarce but damage comes in bunches
Full box scores and updated pitching lines are on ESPN’s game page for July 30. MLB.com also posted highlight packages on Yastrzemski’s homer and Holmes’ early innings.