Washington Nationals vs Atlanta Braves Box Score on May 21, 2017

The Sports Xchange
May 21, 2017

ATLANTA -- Stephen Strasburg continued his dominance against the Atlanta Braves, striking out a season-high 11 in Washington's 3-2 win on Sunday at Sun Trust Park.

Strasburg (5-1) pitched 7 2/3 innings and allowed two runs, both coming in the eighth inning. He allowed five hits and one walk on 118 pitches, one shy of his season high, with 86 being strikes. It was the first time since May 9 that Washington's starting pitcher has gone at least seven innings.

Strasburg is 8-1 with a 2.33 ERA and 63 strikeouts in his last nine starts against Atlanta. The win allowed Washington to salvage one game in the three-game series.

Nationals rookie Koda Glover worked the final 1 1/3 innings without allowing a run and posted his third save.

Atlanta's Jaime Garcia (1-3) pitched his best game of the year. He threw a season-long eight innings and allowed three runs (two unearned). He gave up seven hits, did not issue a walk and struck out a season-high eight batters.

Washington opened the scoring in the second inning when Daniel Murphy hit a long solo homer, his ninth home run of the season. It was Murphy's second homer of the series and his third in the last four games.

The Nationals got two unearned runs in the third inning. Trea Turner reached on an error by right fielder Nick Markakis, who had the fly ball bounce off his glove, and took third when Garcia committed an error on Wilmer Difo's grounder. Turner scored when Bryce Harper singled and Difo scored when Ryan Zimmerman bounced into a double play.

Atlanta finally scratched for two runs against Strasburg in the eighth inning. Rio Ruiz walked and took second on an opposite-field single from Ender Inciarte. They both scored on Dansby Swanson's double. Glover ended the threat by striking out Markakis.

NOTES: Atlanta's newly acquired 1B Matt Adams reported to the team and batted fifth in the lineup. The Braves optioned INF Johan Camargo to Triple-A Gwinnett and designed C Anthony Recker for assignment. Recker opened the season with Atlanta and was optioned to Gwinnett on April 26. ... Washington rested 3B Anthony Rendon and C Matt Weiters, replacing them in the starting lineup with Wilmer Difo and Jose Lobaton. ... Atlanta continues its homestand with a four-game set against Pittsburgh that begins Monday. Atlanta RHP Mike Foltynewicz (2-4, 4.10 ERA) starts the opener against Pittsburgh RHP Gerrit Cole (2-4, 2.84). The Nationals return home on Tuesday to begin a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners. Washington will wait to announce a starter, which could be RHP Jacob Turner or RHP Joe Ross, which would require a roster move.