Final/10
Nationals beat Braves on 10th-inning walk
Aug 31, 2008 - 5:22 AM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- The Washington Nationals walked their way to a season-high winning streak.Elijah Dukes drove in the winning run with a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Nationals edged the Atlanta Braves, 9-8, on Saturday for their fifth straight win.
After the first three batters for the Nationals reached in the 10th, Vladimir Nunez (0-2) retired Lastings Milledge and Ronnie Belliard before issuing an eight-pitch walk to Dukes, forcing in Anderson Hernandez with the winning run.
"We put together some good at-bats, especially Hernandez and Elijah Dukes' to win the game," Nationals manager Manny Acta said. "They worked the count and were able to lay off some tough pitches."
"I love walks. A walk is as good as a hit, and I got two key walks today," Dukes said. "It showed you don't always have to get a hit."
Hernandez collected three hits and three RBI for the Nationals and Jesus Flores added a three-run double.
The Braves stormed to a 4-0 lead in the third inning against Jason Bergmann, who surrendered six runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Chipper Jones, Brian McCann and Omar Infante hit consecutive run-scoring doubles as part of the four-run frame.
"(Bergmann) has been having trouble with lefties, and today, they stacked up their lineup with lefties," Acta said.
Hernandez halved the deficit with a two-run single in the fourth.
"Great night, three base-hit night, I feel good," Hernandez said. "They give me a chance to play, and that's what we need. I feel comfortable and want to help the team as much as possible."
After the Braves extended their to lead to 6-2 in the fifth on home runs by McCann and Martin Prado, the Nationals stormed back with five runs in the bottom half. Flores delivered the big blow off Buddy Carlyle, driving a double to deep center field to drive in three.
Three batters later, Hernandez plated Flores to give the Nationals a 7-6 lead.
"My job is to defuse a situation rather than ignite it. Tonight, I ignited it more than defused it," Carlyle said.
Flores' double ended an 0-for-21 slump.
"After being in a slump, the key was to be positive. I know what I can do," Flores said. "I just keep working every day, and finally today, I get one pitch to drive in some runs."
With the Nationals leading, 8-6, Jones hit his 20th homer in the seventh to cut the deficit to one. Jones joined Hall of Famer Eddie Mathews as the only players to start a career with at least 20 home runs in 14 consecutive campaigns.
"It's just me doing my job. That's how I look at it," Jones said. "A lot of players aren't lucky enough to play this long, but I have been that lucky and relatively healthy during that run and able to produce. Any kind of longevity record is a feather in your cap. I've had a pretty good career. To be standing besides Eddie Mathews in another category is quite an honor."
Gregor Blanco tied the game in the eight with a run-scoring double.
Steven Shell (1-1) pitched around a walk and a hit in the 10th to pick up the win.
Braves starter Jo-Jo Reyes allowed eight hits, four runs and two walks in four innings of work.
"The pitching was not good tonight," Braves manager Bobby Cox said.
- NL
FINAL 10
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
- - - - - - - - -
ATLANTA 0 0 4 0 2 0 1 1 0
WASHINGTON 0 0 0 2 5 1 0 0 0
10 R H E
-- - - -
ATLANTA 0 8 14 0
WASHINGTON 1 9 16 0 (FINAL 10)
BATTERIES: ATL
Aug 30 10:57 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
BASES LOADED WALK TO ELIJAH DUKES SCORED ANDERSON
HERNANDEZ.
FINAL SCORE: WASHINGTON 9, ATLANTA 8
Braves 8, Nationals 9 Bot 10, 0 OutsAug 30 10:57 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY GREGOR BLANCO SCORED GREG NORTON.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, G BLANCO ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 8
WASHINGTON 8 TOP, 8TH
DUE UP FOR ATLANTA: C JONES (.360, 2-FOR-4, HR, 2 RBI)
Braves 8, Nationals 8 Top 8, 0 OutsAug 30 9:51 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY CHIPPER JONES (20) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 0
OUT IN THE 7TH OFF CHARLIE MANNING.
CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 7, WASHINGTON 8
DUE UP FOR ATLANTA: B MCCANN (.298, 2-FOR-2, BB, HR, 2 RBI)
Braves 7, Nationals 8 Top 7, 0 OutsAug 30 9:27 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY RONNIE BELLIARD SCORED LASTINGS MILLEDGE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R BELLIARD ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 6
WASHINGTON 8 BOTTOM, 6TH
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: E DUKES (.272, 1-FOR-2, BB)
Braves 6, Nationals 8 Bot 6, 0 OutsAug 30 9:21 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY ANDERSON HERNANDEZ SCORED JESUS FLORES.
SITUATION: 5 RUNS IN, A HERNANDEZ ON FIRST, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 6
WASHINGTON 7 BOTTOM, 5TH
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: C GUZMAN (.304, 1-FOR-3)
Braves 6, Nationals 7 Bot 5, 0 OutsAug 30 9:01 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY JESUS FLORES SCORED LASTINGS MILLEDGE, RONNIE
BELLIARD AND ELIJAH DUKES.
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, J FLORES ON SECOND, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 6
WASHINGTON 6 BOTTOM, 5TH
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: R LANGERHANS (.241, 0-FOR-0, 2 BB)
Braves 6, Nationals 6 Bot 5, 0 OutsAug 30 8:56 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY RONNIE BELLIARD SCORED RYAN ZIMMERMAN.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R BELLIARD ON SECOND, L MILLEDGE ON THIRD, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 6
WASHINGTON 3 BOTTOM, 5TH
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: E DUKES (.272, 1-FOR-2)
Braves 6, Nationals 3 Bot 5, 0 OutsAug 30 8:52 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY MARTIN PRADO (2) TO CENTER WITH 1 OUT IN
THE 5TH OFF JASON BERGMANN.
CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 6, WASHINGTON 2
DUE UP FOR ATLANTA: B JONES (.265, 0-FOR-2)
Braves 6, Nationals 2 Top 5, 0 OutsAug 30 8:36 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY BRIAN MCCANN (23) TO RIGHT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 5TH OFF JASON BERGMANN.
CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 5, WASHINGTON 2
DUE UP FOR ATLANTA: O INFANTE (.308, 1-FOR-2, RBI)
Braves 5, Nationals 2 Top 5, 0 OutsAug 30 8:33 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY ANDERSON HERNANDEZ SCORED ELIJAH DUKES AND RYAN
LANGERHANS.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, A HERNANDEZ ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 4
WASHINGTON 2 BOTTOM, 4TH
DUE UP FOR WASHINGTON: C GUZMAN (.305, 1-FOR-2)
Braves 4, Nationals 2 Bot 4, 0 OutsAug 30 8:26 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY MARTIN PRADO SCORED OMAR INFANTE.
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, M PRADO ON FIRST, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 4
WASHINGTON 0 TOP, 3RD
DUE UP FOR ATLANTA: B JONES (.269, 0-FOR-1)
Braves 4, Nationals 0 Top 3, 0 OutsAug 30 7:53 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY OMAR INFANTE SCORED BRIAN MCCANN.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, O INFANTE ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 3
WASHINGTON 0 TOP, 3RD
DUE UP FOR ATLANTA: M PRADO (.331, 0-FOR-1)
Braves 3, Nationals 0 Top 3, 0 OutsAug 30 7:52 PM - NL
AT WASHINGTON - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY CHIPPER JONES SCORED JOSH ANDERSON.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, C JONES ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: ATLANTA 1
WASHINGTON 0 TOP, 3RD
DUE UP FOR ATLANTA: B MCCANN (.294, 0-FOR-0, BB)
Braves 1, Nationals 0 Top 3, 0 OutsAug 30 7:48 PM
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