Braves defeat Nationals, manage four-game split

Lefty Tucker Davidson, making his third career start, and a four-run sixth inning helped the Braves defeat the Nationals 5-1 on Thursday afternoon at Truist Park. The Braves split a four-game series against the Nationals.

While his command wasn’t pristine, Davidson was effective, holding the Nationals to one hit and no runs in 5-2/3 innings. He struck out five, but also issued five walks. The 25-year-old has struggled with walks in his minor-league career, as well.

But Davidson matched two-time All-Star lefty Patrick Corbin in a pitchers’ duel. He held the Nationals hitless through four innings. He ran into his first trouble in the fifth, when the first two hitters reached. Davidson responded by striking out Alex Avila with a crisp slider, striking out Corbin on a foul bunt attempt and coaxing a groundout from Trea Turner.

Davidson issued a leadoff walk to Josh Harrison in the sixth. An out later, Ryan Zimmerman rocketed a ball to third that Austin Riley snagged. Riley fired from his knee to second to get Harrison on a force out. If the ball had gone past Riley, then Harrison might’ve scored from first. After walking Starlin Castro, Davidson was lifted from the game. Josh Tomlin got Victor Robles to fly out to left to end the inning.

“I thought he was really good, just like he was the last time,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said of Davidson. “He was aggressive, stuff was live. He was throwing strikes. His slider has become a real pitch for him. I thought he was very aggressive all day. He threw a lot of strikes. Very impressive outing.”

The Braves will have starts available across the summer. Huascar Ynoa will be out at least two months. While the team hasn’t ruled out Mike Soroka eventually returning, that’s unlikely. And while Max Fried, Ian Anderson, Charlie Morton and Drew Smyly are cemented in the rotation, there’s a vacant fifth spot and the reality that the Braves occasionally will use an additional spot start to give their rotation extra rest.

For as encouraging as Bryse Wilson’s outings have been lately, Davidson has impressed, too. In his past two starts against division-rivals New York and Washington, Davidson has logged 11-2/3 innings, allowing three runs on six hits. He’s struck out 10 and walked six.

“Each start I get, I feel a little more comfortable,” Davidson said. “Just the routine of it. Coming up here, being around the guys, being in the atmosphere, the third deck, everything. Being myself out there and going and attacking the hitters.”

Working with catcher William Contreras has helped Davidson. While Contreras has had his struggles behind the plate, he already has a bond with Davidson. The two have worked together since the Gulf Coast League in 2016.

“We were on the same page for most of the day,” Davidson said. “That relationship we’ve built throughout the minor leagues is really paying off right now.”

As for the Braves’ offense, a day after managing only one run against veteran lefty Jon Lester, the bats couldn’t muster much against Corbin - until the sixth. Ronald Acuna again was the Braves’ spark, singling to begin the Braves’ third time through the order. Ozzie Albies followed with his own hit that scored Acuna and broke a scoreless tie. Albies ended up at second and scored on Riley’s ensuing double.

Dansby Swanson capped the inning by homering off Corbin for his 500th career hit, making the score 4-0. Albies, who had three hits, also earned his 500th career hit in the game with an RBI double off the right-field wall in the seventh. Albies, who said his swing is “feeling great,” has a hit in eight of his past 10 games. He has six multi-hit contests in that span, including three to start June.

After losing the middle two games of the series, the Braves salvaged a split against Washington. While they’re surely disappointed they couldn’t take better advantage of hosting the division’s last-place team for a lengthier series, they at least avoided the nightmare scenario of losing three of four to a slumping club.

The Braves (26-28) will host a three-game series against the Dodgers on Friday. Anderson, who faced Los Angeles twice during last October’s seven-game National League Championship Series, will start the opener against Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias.