Nationals explode for 15 runs and crush Braves

Baseball Betting Lines

07/20/2008 - Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Willie Harris homered and drove in five runs, as the Washington Nationals annihilated the Atlanta Braves 15-6, in the finale of a three-game set.

Harris was 2-for-3 with three walks while Felipe Lopez batted 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Austin Kearns homered among three hits, two RBI and tied a franchise record with five runs scored while Jesus Flores had a career-high five hits with two RBI and two runs scored.

Odalis Perez (3-7) got his first win since May 28, allowing five runs on nine hits through five frames while fanning four and walking two for Washington, which took the final two games of the series from Atlanta after dropping three straight.

Jo-Jo Reyes (3-9) was hammered for six runs on seven hits and four walks and a strikeout in just 2 1/3 innings of work. Reyes has won just once in 11 starts, dropping eight decisions overall and five in a row.

Mark Teixeira smacked two home runs in a three-hit effort with three RBI, and Martin Prado added a two-run shot for Atlanta, which dropped the final two contests to the Nationals following a three-game win streak.

Atlanta jumped in front with a run in the first. Gregor Blanco started things with a single, moved to second on a sacrifice and crossed home on a Teixeira RBI single to left.

Washington, however, put up a three-spot in the second. The Nats loaded the bases right out of the gate with a walk and two singles before Reyes walked Lopez to force in a run. Reyes got the next two but Harris ripped a two-run single to right.

The Nationals stormed out to a five-run advantage in the third. After a walk and a single, Flores ripped an RBI single to left. Another single loaded the bases and Ryan Langerhans became the fifth straight batter to reach with an RBI single to center. Bobby Cox proceeded to yank the short leash on an ineffective Reyes, who failed to reach five innings for the third consecutive start.

Buddy Carlyle inherited a bases-loaded situation upon taking the hill and got Perez to ground into a fielder's choice but walked Harris to force in a run. Cox decided it was time to leave as well and was ejected arguing balls and strikes. Carlyle escaped without further incident, inducing Paul Lo Duca into a ground out.

Teixeira launched a solo home run to left in the bottom half, his 18th of the season, but the Nats were back at it in the fourth.

After Carlyle plunked Cristian Guzman, Kearns blasted a two-run shot to left. A ground out provided a nice respite but the Nats strung together three straight singles to load the bases yet again. Perez grounded into a fielder's choice at home but catcher Corky Miller allowed two runs to score after throwing the ball down the right field line attempting to get Perez at first. Harris stepped in and cranked a two-out, two-run shot to right for a 12-2 lead.

The Braves chipped away with three in the home half on a Prado two-run homer to left and a Chipper Jones RBI double but the Nationals cranked out multiple runs for the fourth straight inning in the fifth.

Vladimir Nunez was the Nats next victim on the mound. Kearns doubled with one out and scored on a Flores single. Lopez followed with an RBI double to right.

Both teams took a break until the ninth when an error, walk and a single loaded the bases for Washington, which managed only a Lopez sacrifice fly off Royce Ring. Teixeira sent his second home run of the afternoon out to right field in the bottom half off Jesus Colome, capping a wild affair at Turner Field.

Game Notes

Washington leads the season series 7-4 while the Braves took 11 of 18 matchups between the two last season. The clubs split a two-game series at Turner Field back in April...The Nationals set a season-high with 15 runs and tied a season-high with 17 hits while Atlanta allowed the most runs from a team this season...Reyes has allowed 18 hits and 12 earned runs in his last 10 2/3 innings...Teixeira had his second multi-homer game this season.