The Nationals tried to use a familiar script to beat the Braves on Sunday at Turner Field. They jumped on starting pitcher Joel De La Cruz, withstood a comeback attempt and then tacked on more runs in the later innings.
Finally, Jace Peterson helped the Braves change the story. The Braves came back to tie the game in the eighth inning and won 7-6 on Peterson’s solo home run in the bottom of the 10th.
“He’s riding high right now,” Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “A walk-off homer is one of the coolest things you can ever do. I’m so happy for him.”
The Braves ended their losing streak at seven games and won for just the second time in 13 games this season against the Nationals. The Nationals (73-50) had turned back Braves rallies to win on Friday and Saturday but this time the Braves (45-79) overcame deficits of 4-0 and 6-3 to earn their second victory in 11 games.
Peterson played center field for the first time in the majors and saved a run in the third inning with a superlative catch. Then he won the game by pulling right-hander Shawn Kelley’s full-count pitch into the right-field stands for his first game-ending home run.
“He has a really good slider (but) he hung me a slider and he normally doesn’t do that at all,” Peterson said. “He’s pretty consistent with the slider. Fortunately for me he put one up in the zone and I was able to put a good swing on it.”
The Braves again faced an early hole when the Nationals touched De La Cruz for four runs in the third inning. After the Braves pulled within 4-3 in the bottom of the inning against lefty Gio Gonzalez, Nationals outfielder Chris Heisey’s two-run homer in the sixth pushed the lead back to 6-3.
As is their tendency, the Braves trimmed the deficit again. Nationals fielding errors led to an unearned run in the sixth inning and another in the eighth.
Braves left fielder Matt Kemp hit a lead-off homer in the eighth inning. The Braves then loaded the bases with no outs and, after a rain delay, tied the game when Gordon Beckham grounded into a double play to score Anthony Recker.
The Braves had to work hard for the victory because De La Cruz lasted just 5 2/3 innings while allowing six runs and seven hits, including two home runs. In 19 August games Braves starting pitchers have averaged just 5.19 innings per outing and none of them have pitched more than six innings in a game since July 17.
Bryce Harper’s home run put the Nationals ahead 4-0 in the third inning. Wilson Ramos followed with a single before Peterson ran down Chris Heisey’s drive for the third out.
Peterson twisted one way and then the other, tracking the ball while running hard for it. He reached up to make the catch just before his face slammed hard against the wall, dislodging his sunglasses.
“I knew I had a good jump on it and I just tried to turn and get up and catch it,” Peterson said. “The wall was right there.”
Peterson said he got the wind knocked out of him and he also bruised the bridge of his nose. He stayed down on the warning track for several minutes before making his way back to the dugout.
Peterson had never played center field in 216 previous games in the majors. Peterson has played 10 games in center field this season for Triple-A Gwinnett.
Perhaps more relevant for his big collision with the wall is that Peterson played football at McNeese State before starting his professional baseball career.
“He’s such an athletic, versatile guy,” Braves interim manager Brian Snitker said. “Big catch, big hit. What more can you say?”
